The hype surrounding the 2021 Ford Bronco was suppressed for a bit when the Cybertruck was launched. But, now that the Cybertruck has become old news, the Bronco is back to being one of the industry's most awaited vehicles, keeping everybody on their toes but with no launch in sight at this point.
However, enthusiasts and rendering artists are back to working on interpretations of what the SUV could look like, and here’s one such stab at what is perhaps the closest we've seen yet to the original Bronco.
It Would Sell Like Hot Cakes With This Design
This rendering belongs to Instagram user moaoun_moaoun and, interestingly, it wears all the sizes and shapes that we can expect from the production Bronco. It is boxy, it borrows design cues from the original Bronco, and looks quite similar to the Bronco R that was showcased in November 2019.
This rendering features signature round headlights wrapped inside a grille, just like the 1969 Bronco. Here, instead of the see-through grille with vertical lines, the rendering artist made use of a trapezoidal grille with ‘BRONCO’ badging slapped on it. The car also sports two tow hooks on the short-lip bumper, a solution that showcases its off-road nature to a large extent.
The 2021 Bronco Is Slated For A 2020 Spring Launch
Ford released a 30-second video of the Bronco last month that showcased the new logo and the “World Premiere Spring 2020” message at the end. However, we didn’t get any glimpse of the 2021 Bronco, and instead, Ford took a trip down memory lane by showing us the previous Broncos and the model’s name in script. Although there’s not much to decipher yet, we hope Ford releases some information or at least some official sketches before the unveil.
What We Know About The Bronco So Far
Off-Road.com spotted a listing on Canadian Tire’s website that featured a 2021 model year "Ford truck" named Bronco with the engine size listed at "4-140 2.3L DOHC." In all likeliness, this could be the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine that makes 270 ponies and 310 pound-feet of twist. This makes sense because the 2021 Bronco shares its underpinnings with the Ford Ranger and the truck features the same engine. The V-6 EcoBoost mill could also make its way here since the Jeep Wrangler has a six-cylinder engine in its lineup. This is the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine that churns out 335 horses and 380 pound-feet of torque.
According to Jalopnik, sources claim that Ford has asked Getrag to build a manual transmission for the new Bronco. Dubbed the MT 88, it will most likely be paired to the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine and may have seven gears. Getrag has been working on this transmission since 2015. It is rated for 405 pound-feet of torque and is capable of use in all-wheel-drive configurations, so it could be a good fit for the new 2021 Ford Bronco.
It could feature a V-8 mill, but since Ford is retiring the 5.0-liter Coyote engine, we are not sure which engine it might be. Could it be the V-8 from the Mustang GT500, or the new V-8 from the Super Duty series? None of them seem plausible at this moment. The Blue Oval has also tied up a partnership with Yakima, an aftermarket company, to develop accessories for the Bronco. A Wrangler buyer spends $800 on an average on accessories before taking delivery of his SUV, so this is a promising market and Ford wants to capitalize on it, too.
Final Thoughts
The Bronco hype is back and we should see more renderings come to light as we approach the unveiling date. This rendering sure looks fantastic and there are high chances that Ford will opt for an old-school approach for the 2021 Bronco. With that said, the production version could be vastly different, but we hope to see at least one trim or a launch edition of sorts that mimics the original Bronco. What are your thoughts on the 2021 Bronco? Share them with us in the comments section below.