The 'Raptor' moniker is well on its way to becoming a legendary status in the Ford lineup. First it was the F-150 Raptor, then we heard about the Ranger Raptor, and now, the Bronco might get hitched to it as well. The Bronco itself is being hyped for a comeback, and the Raptor news has gotten us all the more excited. According to TFLnow, a source that monitors the new Bronco very closely, has said that the Bronco will receive the Raptor treatment. Well, that helped my mind get off the Corvette C8 excitement for a while!

The Bronco Is The Most Anticipated Vehicle After The Mid-Engined Corvette

Ford has announced that the Bronco will be returning to the roads in 2020 due to popular demand. The Bronco nailed the auto scene from the 1960s to the 1990s and is considered as one of the baddest 4x4 SUVs to have graced the planet Earth. If I had to use analogies to describe the Bronco's comeback, I'd say it's as good as Undertaker making a return to the ring. Well, not straight up there because the Deadman is too regular on TV right now. But every time you hear the word 'Bronco', it gives you the same chills as the Undertaker's gong!

This teaser shows a very boxy-side of the Bronco – “a stout body with big wheels” if I had to describe it in a few words. Another interesting aspect is the spare wheel fixed on the boot-door. But other than that, we have little else to go on.

Thanks To The Leaks, We Have A Lot To Speculate

This news was leaked earlier when an e-catalog was spotted in an auto parts store in Canada. This is the same mill that's used in the Ranger as well, and if it were to be carried over as it is, it would produce 270 horses and 310 pound-feet of torque. This engine is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission and makes for a potent engine combination altogether. It could serve as the base engine in the Bronco.

Now, coming to the Bronco Raptor rumor mill, a source working with the Bronco told TFL crew that the Raptor could feature either of Ford's other two prominent engines, or perhaps, both. The first one is the famous 2.7-liter, V-6 EcoBoost engine, and the other one is the 5.0-liter, Coyote V-8. The 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine, if not in the Raptor, will surely make it into the SUV’s lineup. Given Ford's propensity to have multiple engine options in its model lineup, there is no way that the V-6 does not land here. Also, the 2021 Bronco will take on the Jeep Wrangler when it is unveiled, and the Wrangler features a 3.6-liter, V-6 Pentastar engine that makes 285 horses and 260 pound-feet of torque. So, it is imperative that a V-6 engine will be offered in the Bronco one way or the other.


Engine

2.7L EcoBoost V6

5.0L V-8

3.5L EcoBoost V6

5.2-liter V-8

Horsepower

325 hp @ 5,000 rpm

395 hp @ 5,750 rpm

450 hp @ 5,000 rpm

760 hp

Torque

400 lb-ft @ 2,750 rpm

400 lb.-ft. @ 4,500 rpm

510 lb.-ft. @3,500 rpm

625 lb.-ft.


The engine in the F-150 produces 395 horses and 400 pound-feet of torque. The other V-8 engine in Ford’s lineup is the one used in the Mustang GT500. This makes even less of a business case for Ford, and neither will the new 7.3-liter, V-8 gasoline engine make its way in here. It’s most likely that Ford will take a call on the V-8 Coyote mill based on the customers and enthusiasts’ response.

The Bronco Raptor Could Be The Next Big Thing In The Off-Road SUV Segment

If we go by what the ‘Raptor’ nameplay has added to the other models in the Ford stable, the Bronco Raptor could also be a hardcore, off-road, truck-based SUV. If Ford takes this path, then the Bronco Raptor would be offered in both two-door and four-door configurations. There’s no denying that there will be a set of Bronco-aficionados who will look to buy the Bronco just to take it off-road. Also, the Bronco could go topless as well! It looks like the company is hell-bent on taking the Wrangler down.

Ford’s Bronco-Revival Is Ringing In A Lot Of Nostalgia

TFL says that it could either for the entry-level trim, a special edition, or even for a bespoke model. Perhaps, even for the baby Bronco? In all likelihood, Ford will launch a limited-edition variant for a revived SUV. It is a trend these days. Even Jeep came up with a limited-production ‘Launch Edition’ when the 2020 Gladiator was launched. The Maverick moniker has been prevalent in the Ford family for very long. Originally, it was used for a compact car sold in the 70s. Later, Ford went on to slap the term on a rebadged Nissan Patrol in Australia in the 80s and 90s, on the rebadged Nissan Terrano sold in Europe in the 90s, and even on the European version of the Ford Escape sold in the early 2000s. Ford is reviving the Bronco with a lot of nostalgia. If Ford execs are reading this, you could bring out an old-school version of the Bronco and coin it ‘Nostalgia’! Yayy or Nayy?

Apparently, Ford is also using terms like, ‘Rock Monster’ and ‘Tremor’ internally for the Bronco. These could be the code words, project names, variant monikers, or just about anything else. I believe the ‘Rock Monster’ is used because Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson used a 2004 concept model of the Bronco in the movie ‘Rampage’.

With the kind of funky names Ford is apparently going to bring to the table, it looks like the company has big plans for the Bronco. What are your thoughts on the 2021 Ford Bronco and the mythical-as-of-now Bronco Raptor? Share them with us in the comments section below.

Further Reading

Read our full speculative review on the 2020 Ford Bronco.

Read our full review on the 2005 Ford Bronco.