The Bronco Nation uploaded a video of a 2021 Ford Bronco taking on the 2021 Shelby GT500 SE on a race track on its YouTube channel. The Shelby GT500 SE was piloted by Shelby American’s CEO, Gary Patterson, whereas, Shelby Hall, a rising off-road racer, was behind the wheel of the Bronco. While the race was arbitrary, it was all about the wordplay here and the last few seconds that hinted at a Shelby Bronco being in the works. The details are scarce at this point, but this 90-odd second video has stirred the pot!
What Is The Video About?
Gary Patterson and Shelby Hall take control of the GT500 SE and the Bronco, respectively, and compete in a friendly race at the Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Oklahoma. You know that the Mustang is the obvious winner here, but Shelby Hall played the Bronco to its strengths by swerving it off the tarmac and covering a much shorter distance. In the end, it managed to beat the GT500 SE.
Now, Coming To The Highlight Of The Video
While there was nothing noteworthy in the first 80 seconds of the video, it’s the last few seconds that build the hype.
There’s no way the company was letting go of this Shelby vs Shelby interaction to waste. It clearly hinted at a new build being in the works. It has to be the Bronco because the GT500 seen in the video is the Signature Edition that Shelby built sometime back.
Shelby has been tweaking Ford products for ages now. It’s not just Mustangs; the company has also worked on the F-150, the F-150 Raptor, and the F-250 multiple times in the past. So, taking the Bronco under its wings won’t be a whole new ballgame for Shelby. There’s absolutely no information on this, but could Shelby plonk a V-8 under the Bronco’s hood? Ford has said in the past that a V-8’s never happening and didn’t even bother checking if a Coyote V-8 mill could be fit in, but could we be in for a surprise?
There certainly is a demand for a Bronco V-8, and some aftermarket companies are already capitalizing on this. If they can do it, why can’t Shelby? Also, the Bronco has been able to neutralize all of the Wrangler’s strengths and looked like the latter finally had a true-blue competitor. But, Jeep threw a curveball hours before the Bronco’s launch by introducing the Jeep Wrangler 392. Ford needs to do something about it, and perhaps, going the Shelby route could be a win-win for both companies.
Who Is Shelby Hall?
Shelby Hall is a beckoning name in the off-road racing world and is part of the Ford Bronco R team. She is the granddaughter of Baja Racing Legend, Rod Hall. Before she took over the reins, Shelby served as Rod Hall’s navigator. Shelby has competed in various off-roading events, including the Baja 1000. Fun Fact: One of Shelby Hall’s first vehicles was a 1968 Bronco. See the Bronco-Shelby connection? Could there be any more direct hints of a Shelby Bronco being developed?
Let’s Talk About The Shelby GT500 SE And The Ford Bronco
Shelby American decided to give a twist to 100 Mustang GT500s by equipping them with the Signature Edition kits. The standard GT500 comes with a 5.2-liter, V-8 Predator engine that makes 760 horses and 625 pound-feet of torque. Shelby’s build, however, comes with features like:
-* 800+ horsepower
-* Performance supercharger pulley
-* Front and rear springs and sway bars
-* 20-inch wheels
-* Carbon fiber ventilated hood
-* Exclusive striping and badging
-* Leather seat recovers
The production is limited to just 100 examples. Each kit is priced at $29,995. The GT500 starts at $72,900. So, this kit nudges the overall price to just over $100,000
As for the 2021 Ford Bronco, here are some of its mechanical specs:
-* 2.3-liter, four-cylinder EcoBoost engine
-* Makes 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque
-* 2.7-liter, V-6 EcoBoost mill
-* Makes 310 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque
-* 10-speed automatic gearbox as standard
-* Seven-speed manual transmission can be mated to the 2.3-liter engine only
-* Two different four-wheel-drive systems on offer
-* Equipped with solid rear axle and independent front suspension system
The power specs are what Ford announced at the Bronco’s launch. But, the company recently revealed that both the engines will receive a power boost.
The four-pot mill will make 275 ponies and 315 pound-feet of twist when riding on regular fuel, and 300 ponies and 325 pound-feet of torque when consuming premium fuel.
The V-6, on the other hand, will churn out 315 ponies and 410 pound-feet of twist when filled up on regular fuel, and 330 horses and 415 pound-feet of torque when on a premium fuel diet.
Conclusion
What do you have to say about this video? Do you think it could be anything else other than a Shelby Bronco? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section