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2021 Ford Bronco First Look: More Than Nostalgia

Thunderclouds threaten as our group stands in the middle of Johnson Valley OHV Area, looking at two pre-production versions of the all-new 2021 Ford Bronco . One is a Cactus Gray four-door Badlands hardtop, but we cant take our eyes off the Cyber Orange two-door Black Diamond Bronco with the removable roof fully removed. It looks utterly fabulous. A concept car come to life, driven straight off the auto show stand to an off-road paradise known for King of the Hammers. The consensus: Ford is gonna sell a million of these things. The 2021 Broncoespecially the papaya-colored small fryjust looks right on. --> Design This new truck, available in two- or four-door styles, resembles the old first-generation Ford Bronco from the 60s and 70s without being slavish. The 2021 Bronco is fresh, futuristic, fun. It looks like a kids toy you want to pick up and play with. Size-wise, the two-door Bronco is 6.9 inches longer than the equivalent Jeep Wrangler on a 3.6-inch longer wheelbase, while the four-door is an inch longer on a 2.3-inch shorter wheelbase. The Broncos are 2.1 inches wider and 0.7 inch lower, and they offer similar head- and legroom with more shoulder- and hiproom in the four-door, less in the two-door. Both Fords accommodate more cargo than the Jeeps3.910.6 cubic feet with the seats up and 5.226.4 cubes more with them down, four-door to two-door. So the four-doors are close in size; the new Bronco two-door is way bigger and roomier. The 2021 Ford Bronco offers three trim-specific grilles at launch, and each apes the full-width one-piece look of the original. The forward corners of each front fender sprout a trail sight, which helps locate the corners for the adventurous off-road driver and also serves as a place to lash canoes or kayaks to the roof. One of the slickest parts of the design is the arcing bow, a curved black plastic element just in front of the windshield that contains the mirrors. See, unlike the Wrangler, the new Broncos side-view mirrors are mounted on the bodyso when the doors come off, you still have mirrors (and the optional cameras housed in each for spotting front tire placement). But rather than just have them stuck onto the Broncos body, Ford design gave the pair a little curved plinth to sit on. The weakest part of the 2021 Bronco four-doors design is at the base of the C-pillar, where many surfaces and forms collide. It all looks bunched up. Its not horrible, but theres a black plastic triangle just at the trailing edge of the rear window that looks tacked on and cheaper than the rest of the truck. We were assured by Ford PR the previous iteration looked even worse. Not really a confident statement, that. With the roof off, you can see the perimeter halo rollcage, which leaves the entire space open above both rows of seats for panoramic views of Moab. This structure houses curtain airbags and serves as a design element: To provide ample headroom, the roof stands about 6 inches above this, so removing it lends a chopped-top hot rod appearance. Out back, you see exposed hinges on the tailgate, but to simplify door removaland to allow the fenders themselves to be removedFord chose concealed hinges for the doors. Removing these frameless, mirrorless aluminum doors is a breeze. Simply lower the windows and slip on the protective door bag. Unplug the electrical connection (a spring-loaded door snaps shut to keep the connectors clean), remove one bolt from each hinge, and off they come. One last cool little touch: The rearview camera is mounted on the end of the spare tire carrier. Said carrier is quite long, so even if you fit a fat, aftermarket spare tire and wheel, your camera can still see. New Ford Bronco Tops and Trim Styles Broncos are offered with a choice of two removable hard tops. The basic one comes molded in black or white and features two interlocking sections over the front seats that can be stowed on board in bags like Jeeps Freedom Top panels. On four-door models, a third large panel above the rear seat opens the entire roof section but doesnt stow on board. Quarter-turn latches release all these panels. The remaining roof section enclosing the rear cargo area is comparatively small and easy to maneuver, and with it off and all windows lowered, even with the frameless doors installed you get a true max air convertible feel. A second modular hard top gets painted and adds the third rear roof panel for two-doors along with removable rear quarter windows for better airflow with the rear roof section attached. The 2021 Ford Bronco four-door also offers a soft top, which features a large section over the seats that can be thrown back for a sunroof feel. Its party trick is that the bottom of the rear section lifts up and out of the way to facilitate loading larger items that might not easily fit through the rear window and swing gate. The first step up the price ladder from the unnamed base model is Big Bend, which is like an XLT grade. The next three 2021 Bronco trims have different missions: Outer Banks is a sport/luxury trim, Black Diamond features tough/rugged cues, and Wildtrak has a blacked-out aesthetic with a high-speed desert-running focus. Bronco Badlands aims to be the most all-around capable off-roader, and the First Edition is a limited-production (3,500) 2021 model based on Badlands with Wildtrak exterior and Outer Banks interior and unique graphics. All come in either body style. Two Turbo Engines (2.3L four, 2.7L V-6), Two Transmissions, Two Transfer Cases Time for the specs spew, so pay attention. The base engine under the hood of the 2021 Ford Bronco is a 2.3-liter turbo inline-four producing 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, which ties the 2.0-liter turbo Jeep Wrangler for horsepower and beats it (295 lb-ft) in torque. The 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6 stumps up 310 hp and 400 lb-ft, handily besting the Wranglers aging 3.6-liter V-6 (at 285 hp and 260 lb-ft). Ford has no answer to Jeeps 260-hp, 442-lb-ft EcoDiesel V-6. That said, there will be a Raptor version of the Bronco coming in a few years. There are two transmission options for the 2021 Bronco: Fords version of the 10-speed automatic co-developed with GM or a new Getrag 7MTI550 six-plus-one-speed manual. Whats the plus-one mean? A super-low crawler gear that works in either high or low range and gives the transmission a gear ratio spread (first gear divided by seventh) of 11.0, as opposed to the Wrangler six-speeds 7.1. This crawler gear is located down and to the left, below reverse in a dogleg configuration and marked C on the shifter. The remaining gears function like a normal first through sixth whenever youre not rock crawling, pulling a heavy boat up a wet ramp, or something similar. The two transfer case options for the 2021 Ford Bronco include an electric shift-on-the-fly unit like the F-150s, offering 2Hi, 4Hi, 4Lo, and neutral. The low-range gearing in this one is 2.72:1. The Bronco's optional upgraded version with electromechanical shifting adds a full-time 4-Auto mode and comes with a 3.06:1 low range. With this case, the granny gear provides a 95:1 crawl ratio (first x low x axle), according to Ford, besting the manual Wrangler Rubicons 84:1. (There hasnt been a rear-drive Wrangler since 2010, and theres no plan for a rear-drive Bronco, either.) New Bronco Chassis is Rubicon Capable Previewing the next-gen Ranger, the front suspension of the 2021 Ford Bronco is by control arms, and the rear gets a live axle with trailing links and a Panhard rod. Coil-over shock units serve at each corner. Ford claims overall suspension travel bests the Wranglers by 17 percent in front and 10 percent in the rear. Maximum ground clearance of 11.6 inches tops the best Jeeps 10.8, and the approach, departure, and breakover angles are also said to be class leading at 43.2, 37.0/37.2, and 26.3/29.0 degrees, respectively (four-door/two-door models). Those figures reflect the largest 35-inch (315/70R17) tires, which come standard on First Edition models but are optional on all. Base Broncos get 255/70R16 tires on steel wheels, with various aluminum wheel options wearing 255/75R17, 255/70R18, 265/70R17, or 285/70R18 tires of all-terrain or mud-terrain spec. These reduce ground clearance to 8.4 inches and approach, departure, and breakover angles to 35.5, 29.7/29.8, and 20.0/21.1 degrees on four-door/two-door models. The most Rubicon-optimized Badlands, Wildtrak, and First Edition Ford Bronco variants (and the optional Sasquatch package) on the monster tires get a sophisticated electro-hydraulically actuated front stabilizer bar disconnect system from BWI Group that can disengage while under load. Once disengaged it automatically re-connects at speeds of 20-plus mph, then automatically disengages again when speeds drop sufficiently. These variants also get fancy position-sensitive Bilstein monotube dampers that provide lots of damping for large bumps, far less on small washboard bumps. Their large diameter provides ample oil to remain cool in prolonged higher-speed desert running, evincing some inherent Raptor DNA. Lots of Off-Road Goodies Locking differentials are available front and rear, and theres a Trail Turn Assist function that drags the inside rear brake to tighten the turning radius like on a Toyota Land Cruiserexcept that the Broncos works at higher speeds. Theres a new feature borrowed from the electric-vehicle world: one-pedal driving. As you lift off the accelerator in off-road modes with a 2.7-liter automatic set to an off-road mode, the system applies and will hold the brakes. Its ideal for novice off-roaders negotiating tricky terrain. Every modern off-roader has terrain modes, and Broncos got em: Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Sand, Baja, Mud, and Rock Crawl, but you really only need that last setting. This mode automatically optimizes the differential lockers, stabilizer bar disconnect, and myriad other parameters to remove the guesswork. When rock crawling, the various displays can show vehicle pitch and roll angles, tire pressures, and 360-degree camera views that include a fisheye view of what lies ahead and whats happening at each front tire. These camera views allow drivers to do without an exterior spotter and verify that the path ahead is safe. The new Bronco's undercarriage is comprehensively armored from the bumper past the first crossmember, with separate shields protecting the anti-roll bar disconnect device, the gas tank, and the transmission. Top models add further protection for the rear dampers and radius-arm mounts. Rock rails are rated to support the weight of the vehicle at any point and are sacrificial, easily replaced if damaged. The tow hooks are rated to support at least the weight of the vehicle, but as for towing via the hitch, Bronco is rated for 3,500 pounds (same as Wrangler). New Bronco Interior Designed to Get Dirty The Bronco is designed to get wet, muddy, and dusty. An available drain hole in each footwell features a quarter-turn plug to facilitate hosing off the rubber-lined floors. Vertically exposed switches like those on the steering wheel and those atop the center stack for the diff locks and bar disconnect are fully covered by a waterproof silicone membrane. For those just looking for style, leather and carpet are available, but the marine-grade vinyl upholstery that pairs with the rubber floors looks cooler and more appropriate. Because the doors will often be removed, both the glove box and center console bin feature key locking. Replacing the map pockets on the seat backs (who uses a map?) is a Molle strap system to which all sorts of aftermarket accessories can be attached. The dash features an 8.0- or 12.0-inch infotainment screen plus a 6.5-inch driver information screen. The new 2021 Ford Bronco is impressive, in both its off-road capability/technology and design. Quite obviously the Jeep Wrangler is both the 900-pound gorilla and the elephant in the room. But Ford seems to have improved upon several of the Jeeps shortcomings. True, its not 75 years old like the OG jeep. Perhaps most important, it looks better, and for many people design is the ultimate selling point. How often are you going to go off-road, versus how often do you want to have a killer-looking off-roader? Think about it. Ford has. --> Accessorize! Given that the Jeep Wrangler is the most accessorized vehicle in the FCA/Mopar arsenal, Ford intends to encourage an equal degree of personalization on its new Bronco icon. So at launch there will be more than 200 available accessories that can be installed at the plant, the dealership, or by the customer. These include tubular doors, roof racks, camping equipment, auxiliary lighting, bead-lock wheels, bikini tops, etc. New accessory grilles are planned, as well, and theyre said to be easily swapped. Ford has gone a bit further in encouraging customization by utilizing special Bronco-branded fasteners throughout the interior and exterior that are designed to be used for attaching accessory items. There are 42 such bolts on the interior and 12 to 18 of them on the exterior (not including the optional modular bumper, which is designed to have numerous things attached to it). An interior example: Bolts near the center-top of the dash can be used to mount bring your own device bars of two lengths. These BYOD bars provide a mounting place for phones, GoPro or other dash cams, etc. Ford also provides a bank of six aux switches at the top-center of the windshield frame, only these switches connect to factory-installed wiring that runs to various places in the car where owners are likely to want to mount lights and other accessories, greatly simplifying their eventual installation. One more fun accessory demonstrated to us: a slide-out tailgate/table that retracts into a new, higher false floor in the cargo area. 2021 Ford Bronco Specs PRICE $26,660-$38,500 (est) LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 2- or 4-door SUV ENGINE 2.3L/270-hp/310-lb-ft turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4; 2.7L/310-hp/400-lb-ft twin-turbo V-6 TRANSMISSION 7-speed manual, 10-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 3,950-4,450 lb (est) WHEELBASE 100.4-116.1 in L x W x H 173.7-190.5 x 75.9-79.3 x 71.9-75.3 in 0-60 MPH 5.9-8.0 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON Not yet tested ON SALE Spring 2021 The post 2021 Ford Bronco First Look: More Than Nostalgia appeared first on Hot Rod Network .

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