7 Things You Didn’t Know About the Ford Bronco
With the new year comes a new Ford Bronco. In light of the rebirth, here are seven things you probably didn’t know about the iconic off-roader.
Beginning in 1966, Ford created an off-road, family-friendly SUV to directly compete with International’s Scout and Jeep’s CJ-5. The idea was to bring Ford into the realm of a growing market of people who needed a handy and reliable farm truck, as well as those who enjoyed seeing their cars covered in muck. When it was on dealer lots, the Bronco sold well for a very long time. That is, until they didn’t, and Ford decided to cease production of the iconic bucking Bronco. Now rising from the ashes, the Bronco will rear once again in 2020 to establish itself in the growing off-road market. In honor of the off-road majesty’s return, we present to you 10 fascinating facts that you probably didn’t know about the Bronco.
1. The Folks who Designed the Mustang Also Designed the First-gen Bronco
The same people who forged the Mustang into the history books, Donald Frey and Lee Iacocca, are responsible for the first generation Bronco (1966-1977). Taking notes from the CJ-5, they wanted the wheelbase short and the body small. Though, to add more spice to the recipe, they also designed the first-gen to come in a roadster configuration, station wagon, or half-cab. Though, sadly, the roadster only lasted two years. Apparently the most popular body style was the three-door setup, and after 1972, it was the only arrangement available.
Iacocca and Frey’s design did incredibly well, with their most popular design being the 1974 Bronco. Though, Ford found that Chevy was slowly creeping up on their audience with the Blazer, and the second generation had more of an emphasis on capability rather than style. That’s not to say that the first generation wasn’t capable — but it isn’t the second generation that’s being sold for upwards of $60-100k.
2. For the 1960s, Bronco Introduced Game-changing Hardware
It was traditional in the 1960s for civilian off-road machines to be equipped with solid axles and leaf spring suspension setups. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just wasn’t conducive for a comfortable ride or adequate steering. To counter the typical discomfort of American off-roaders, Ford fitted the Bronco with a slicker coil-spring arrangement that switched up the front axle with a three-link setup, as reported by Popular Mechanics. Additionally, Ford wisely swapped out the tired method of sealed CVs with U-joints, making the little truck turn on a dime compared to its competition.
To further add shine to the Bronco’s image, Ford was one of very few automakers to offer limited slip diffs in one or both axles as an option. Staying true to Frey and Iacocca’s legendary influence, the Bronco was also the only small 4×4 that offered an optional a V8. Ironically, it was the same V8 (289 CID) that was in the Mustang.
3. Ford Used the Bronco to Race in Baja Off-Road Races
Ford sent two Bronco prototypes to Bill Stroppe, a man who was described as the Carroll Shelby of the Bronco realm. After working his magic, Stroppe entered in the first Baja NORRA Mexican 1000 in 1967. Though, Stroppe and the Bronco didn’t start making names for themselves until he was paired up with fellow off-road racing legend Parnelli Jones. Stroppe, Jones, and their Bronco named Big Oly (after their sponsor Olympia Beer) were not slow about domination. In 1971 and the year after, Jones and Stroppe took the overall Baja 1000 win in the Bronco.
Due to the success of the team, Ford was inspired to make 400 Baja Bronco’s to sell to the public. In honor of the Bronco that helped influence the sport and foster die-hard fans, the Baja Broncos were fashioned after Big Oly’s iconic colors.
4. Famed 2004 Bronco Concept Appeared in a ‘Rock’ Movie
The 2004 Bronco concept was prominently featured in the 2018 action-adventure film Rampage, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Even though it was a design made famous by the Rampage video game, Ford told Automotive News that the design is not indicative to the one Ford conjured up for the 2020 Bronco. But hopefully some notes were taken from it, because no one can deny it’s a good-looking concept.
5. The Bronco had it’s Own Pony Version
When the oil crisis struck the United States in the Eighties, bigger, thirsty cars were falling out of favor in America. Suddenly, it was incredibly expensive to drive the Bronco — because it was as large as its appetite for gasoline. Therefore, taking a page from the Mustang book, Ford offered a more economical version of their second most successful nag. The Bronco II, launched in 1983, came with a 2.8 liter V6 and was built on the bones of the Ranger, making for a smaller, lighter, and therefore less gas-consuming Bronco. We’ll call it, the “fun sized” Bronco.
6. 2020 Bronco will Feature ‘Adventure Capture’ Technology
According to Hagerty, the newest Bronco will come with its own off-road navigation system that allows the driver to look at specific details after an off-road trip. It’s not a unique system, as Hagerty reports that it’s a system currently being used in the Ranger Raptor in Europe — but what is unique is how it works. Apparently, it drops a virtual pin on the map every second, making it easier for a driver to follow precise directions back to where they started.
7. For the First time in Bronco History, There will Be a Hybrid Option
Since the inclusion of hybridized Ford Explorers for the police, Ford is very familiar with how successful their hybrid SUVs are. Therefore, Ford has hinted that it is definitely planning on making a hybrid version of the new Bronco. They haven’t said anything about engine size or power figures just yet, but the buzz in the Auto enthusiast community is that Ford could use the 3.3 liter V6 that’s earned the Blue Oval a fair amount of positive attention. Now, potential Bronco owners can take “leaving no trace” a step further.
Photos: CJ Pony Parts; Mecum Auctions; Ford Motor Company
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