2021 Ford Bronco Specs and Details

A concept car that comes to life, drives directly from the stand of the motor show to an off-road paradise known for King of the Hammers. The consensus: Ford will sell a million of these things. The Bronco 2021, especially the small papaya fry, is perfect.

Design

This new truck, available in two or four doors, resembles the old first generation Ford Bronco from the 60s and 70s without being subservient. The 2021 Bronco is fresh, futuristic, and fun. It looks like a kid\’s toy that you want to pick up and play with.

In terms of size, the two-door Bronco measures 6.9 inches longer than the equivalent Jeep Wrangler on a longer wheelbase of 3.6 inches, while the four-door is an inch longer on a shorter wheelbase 2.3 inch. The Broncos are 2.1 inches wider and 0.7 inches lower, and they offer similar head and legroom with more shoulder and hip room in all four doors, less in both doors. . Both Fords can accommodate more cargo than Jeeps: 3.9 to 10.6 cubic feet with the seats up and 5.2 to 26.4 cubic more with them down, from four-door to two-door. The four doors are therefore close in size; the new two-door Bronco is much bigger and more spacious.

The 2021 Ford Bronco offers three trim-specific grilles at launch, and each ape the full-width one-piece look of the original. The front corners of each front fender protrude from a “track finder”, which helps locate the corners for the adventurous off-road driver and also serves as a place to attach canoes or kayaks to the roof.

One of the sleekest parts of the design is the arc arc, a curved black plastic element just in front of the windshield that contains the mirrors. See, unlike the Wrangler, the side mirrors of the new Bronco are mounted on the body. So when the doors come off, you still have mirrors (and the optional cameras housed in each to spot front tire placement). But rather than just sticking them to the Bronco\’s body, the Ford design gave the pair a small curved base to sit on.

The weakest part of the design of the 2021 Bronco four-door is at the base of the C-pillar, where many surfaces and shapes collide. Everything seems grouped. It\’s not horrible, but there is a black plastic triangle right at the rear edge of the rear window that looks nailed and cheaper than the rest of the truck. We were assured by Ford PR that the previous iteration was even worse. Not really a confident statement, that.

With the roof open, you can see the perimeter halo arch, which leaves all of the space open above the two rows of seats for a panoramic view of Moab. This structure houses curtain airbags and serves as a design element: to provide sufficient headroom, the roof rises about 6 inches above this, so its removal gives the appearance of a chopped hot rod.

At the rear, you see exposed hinges on the tailgate, but to simplify the removal of the doors and to allow the fenders themselves to be removed, Ford chose concealed hinges for the doors. Removing these frameless, mirrorless aluminum doors is a breeze. Simply lower the windows and put on the protective door bag. Unplug the electrical connection (a spring loaded door snaps into place to keep the connectors clean), remove a bolt from each hinge, and they snap off. One last cool little touch: the reversing camera is mounted on the end of the spare tire carrier. This luggage rack is quite long, so even if you fit a thick, aftermarket spare tire and tire, your camera can still see.

New Ford Bronco tops and trim styles

Broncos are offered with a choice of two removable hard tops. The base model is molded in black or white and features two locking sections on the front seats that can be stowed on board in bags like Jeep\’s Freedom Top panels. On four-door models, a third large panel above the rear seat opens the entire roof section but does not store on board. The quarter turn latches release all of these panels. The remaining roof portion surrounding the rear cargo area is relatively small and easy to maneuver, and with it turned off and all the windows lowered, even with the frameless doors installed, you get a true \’max air\’ convertible feel.

A second modular hardtop is painted and adds the third rear roof panel for two doors as well as removable rear 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 above the seats that can be folded down for a sunroof feel. Its party trick is that the bottom of the rear section lifts up to make it easier to load larger items that might not easily fit through the rear window and hinged door.

The first step up the price range of the unnamed “base” model is Big Bend, which is like an XLT grade. The next three Bronco 2021 versions have different missions: Outer Banks is a sport / luxury version, Black Diamond features sturdy / rugged tails, and Wildtrak has a blackened aesthetic with an emphasis on high-speed desert racing. Bronco Badlands aims to be the most versatile off-roader, and the first edition is a limited production model (3500) 2021 based on Badlands with the Wildtrak exterior and the Outer Banks interior and unique graphics. All come in two body styles.

Two turbo engines (four 2.3L, 2.7L V6), two transmissions, two transfer cases

It\’s time to “spit out the specs”, so be careful. The base engine under the hood of the Ford Bronco 2021 is a 2.3-liter four-cylinder inline turbo engine producing 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, which links the 2.0-liter Jeep Wrangler turbo engine for power and beats (295 lb-ft) in torque. The twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 develops 310 horsepower and 400 lb-ft, easily outperforming the Wrangler\’s aging 3.6-liter V6 (at 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft). Ford has no answer to Jeep\’s 260-hp, 442 lb-ft EcoDiesel V6. That said, there will be a Raptor version of the Bronco in a few years.

There are two transmission options for the 2021 Bronco: the Ford version of the 10-speed automatic gearbox developed jointly with GM or a new Getrag 7MTI550 six plus one-speed manual. What does the plus-one mean? An ultra-low crawler gear that operates in the high or low range and gives the transmission a gear ratio (first gear divided by seventh) of 11.0, as opposed to the Wrangler\’s 7.1 six-speed. This undercarriage is located at the bottom left, below the reverse gear in a dogleg configuration and marked “C” on the gear lever. The remaining gears work like a normal first to sixth when you\’re not crawling, pulling a heavy boat on a wet ramp, or something similar.

The two transfer case options for the 2021 Ford Bronco include an on-the-fly electric shift unit like the F-150, offering 2Hi, 4Hi, 4Lo, and neutral. The low range gear in this one is 2.72: 1. The optional upgraded version of the Bronco with electromechanical shift adds a full-time 4-Auto mode and comes with a low range of 3.06: 1 With this case, the grandma gear offers a 95: 1 ramp ratio (first x low axle x), according to Ford, outperforming the 84: 1 of the Wrangler Rubicon manual. (There hasn\’t been a rear-wheel drive Wrangler since 2010, and there\’s no plan for a rear-drive Bronco either.)

New Bronco chassis is Rubicon compatible

As a preview of the new generation Ranger, the front suspension of the Ford Bronco 2021 is with suspension arms, and the rear receives an active axle with trailing links and a Panhard rod. Winding shock absorbers are used at each corner. Ford says overall suspension travel exceeds that of the Wrangler by 17% at the front and 10% at the rear.

The maximum ground clearance of 11.6 inches exceeds the best 10.8 in the Jeep, and the approach, departure and crossing angles are also known to be the best in class at 43.2, 37.0 / 37.2 and 26.3 / 29.0 degrees, respectively (four door / two door). models). These numbers reflect the larger 35-inch tires (315 / 70R17), which are standard on First Edition models, but are optional on all.

Base Broncos get 255 / 70R16 tires on steel wheels, with various aluminum wheel options carrying 255 / 75R17, 255 / 70R18, 265 / 70R17 or 285 / 70R18 off-road or mud spec tires. These reduce the ground clearance to 8.4 inches and the approach, departure and tilt angles to 35.5, 29.7 / 29.8 and 20.0 / 21.1 degrees on models with four doors / two doors.

The most Rubicon-optimized Badlands, Wildtrak and First Edition Ford Bronco variants (and the optional Sasquatch pack) on monster tires benefit from a sophisticated electro-hydraulically operated front stabilizer bar disconnect system from the BWI Groupset that can disengage under charge. Once disengaged, it automatically reconnects at a speed of more than 20 mph, then disengages automatically when the speed drops sufficiently.

These variants also feature position-sensitive Bilstein monotube shock absorbers that provide plenty of damping for large bumps, let alone on small washboard bumps. Their large diameter provides enough oil to stay cool during an extended run in the desert at high speed, testament to the inherent Raptor DNA.

Lots of off-road treats

Lock differentials are available front and rear, and there\’s a Trail Turn Assist feature that slides the interior rear brake to tighten the turning radius like on a Toyota Land Cruiser, except that the Bronco works at higher speeds.

There is a new feature borrowed from the world of electric vehicles: driving with a pedal. When you take the throttle off in off-road mode with a 2.7-liter automatic transmission set to off-road mode, the system applies and will hold the brakes. It is ideal for off-road novices negotiating difficult terrain. Every modern off-roader has terrain modes, and Bronco has them: Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Sand, Baja, Mud and Rock Crawl, but you really only need this last setting. This mode automatically optimizes differential locks, disconnecting the stabilizer bar, and a myriad of other parameters to eliminate guesswork.

When crawling, different displays can show the vehicle\’s pitch and roll angles, tire pressure, and 360-degree camera views that include a fisheye view of what\’s in store and what\’s going on at each tire before. These camera views allow drivers to do without an outside observer and verify that the way ahead is safe.

The undercarriage of the new Bronco is fully shielded from the bumper beyond the first cross member, with separate shields protecting the anti-roll bar disconnect device, fuel tank and transmission. Top-of-the-line models add additional protection for the rear shocks and radial arm mounts. The rock rails are designed to support the weight of the vehicle at all times and are “sacrificial”, easily replaceable if damaged. The tow hooks are designed to support at least the weight of the vehicle, but like towing via the hitch, Bronco is rated at 3,500 pounds (like the Wrangler).

New Bronco interior designed to get dirty

The Bronco is designed to be wet, muddy and dusty. A drain hole available in each floor has a quarter turn plug for easy watering of rubber coated floors. Vertically exposed switches like those on the steering wheel and those at the top of the center stack for the differential locks and bar disconnect are fully covered with a waterproof silicone membrane.

For those who are simply looking for style, leather and carpet are available, but the marine grade vinyl siding that blends with the rubber floors looks fresher and more suitable. Because the doors will often be removed, the glove box and the center console bin have key locks. The replacement of the pockets on the backs of the seats (who uses a map?) Is a Molle strap system to which all kinds of aftermarket accessories can be attached. The instrument panel includes an 8.0 or 12.0 inch infotainment screen as well as a 6.5 inch driver information display.

The new 2021 Ford Bronco is impressive, both in its off-road capability / technology and in its design. Obviously, the Jeep Wrangler is both the 900-pound gorilla and the elephant in the room. But Ford appears to have improved on several of the Jeep\’s shortcomings.

Admittedly, it is not 75 years old like the OG jeep. Perhaps the most important is better, and for many people, design is the best selling point. How often are you going to be off-roading, compared to how often do you want to have a killer-looking off-road? Think about it. Ford a.

Given that the Jeep Wrangler is the most accessorized vehicle in the FCA / Mopar arsenal, Ford intends to encourage an equal degree of customization on its new Bronco icon. Thus, at launch, there will be more than 200 accessories available that can be installed at the factory, at the dealership or by the customer. These include tubular doors, roof racks, camping equipment, auxiliary lighting, heel lock wheels, bikini tops, etc. New accessory grills are also planned and are said to be easily exchangeable.

Ford took it a step further by encouraging customization by using special Bronco-branded interior and exterior fasteners that are designed to be used to secure accessories. There are 42 such bolts on the inside and 12 to 18 of them on the outside (not including the optional modular bumper, which is designed to have many things attached). An interior example: bolts near the center-top of the dashboard can be used to mount “bring your own device” bars of two lengths. These BYOD bars provide a mounting location for phones, GoPro or other dash cameras, etc. Ford also provides a bank of six auxiliary switches at the top center of the windshield frame, only these switches connect to the factory installed wiring that connects various places in the car where owners are likely to want to mount lights and other accessories, which greatly simplifies their eventual installation. Another fun accessory was shown to us: a sliding tailgate / table that retracts into a new false floor higher up in the cargo area.