2021 Bronco: What We Know
The beginning of the year came and went in a whirl of disappointment from everyone who was hoping for a Detroit reveal of the ‘20 Bronco. That has not, however, stopped the rumor mill from churning, and this week after a dealer event in Palm Beach, Florida, we learned more. According to Automotive News, dealers at the event anonymously spoke and spilled the beans on some Bronco details.
What we know: The Bronco has square body retro styling with round headlights, and a square grill sporting “Bronco” across the front. It will be available in two- and four-door configurations with removable doors and a removable hardtop. Side mirrors will be mounted to the A-pillar for ease of use when the doors are removed, and those said doors can be stored in the back of the vehicle and are rumored to be made of aluminum. A hatch-mounted, external full-size spare tire will adorn the rear.
Power is to come from both the 2.3L inline four Ecoboost, and the 2.7L six-cylinder Ecoboost, mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, and a rumored ZF sourced seven-speed manual transmission. Ford recently clarified their position on electrification, including the Bronco in their plans. It is yet to be determined, however, if this means a full electric version or a hybrid.
Confirmation on the use of independent front suspension or a live axle still are unavailable, but Ford has assured everyone that the vehicle will be on dealer lots late 2020, which means the next likely unveiling will be at the Los Angeles Auto Show this November. Ford also said that the smaller Baby Bronco will be shown off and launched a few months before its big brother.
Ford has put Jeep in their crosshairs publicly more than once, and it seems that their pricing is going after them, too, with the entry-level model starting out at right around $30,000. Stay tuned for more information.
