https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW3sH5YVhn4
Little teasers of the brand-new Ford Bronco seem to be popping up more frequently online lately. We've seen the Bronco prototypes, videos, spy shots, and more. The automaker is going to drop the big reveal of the new Bronco next month in July. Luckily, you now have some new footage showcasing what this off-roader is capable of thanks to a YouTube video posted by The Bronco Nation.
Now, the Ford Bronco will use the same body-on-frame construction as the Ford Ranger pickup truck, and its direct competitor will be the Jeep Wrangler. It even comes with removable doors to match one of Wrangler's key traits. Chevy's Colorado ZR2 and Toyota's 4Runner also find themselves as close competitors to the new vehicle. All three of the car manufacturers state they are not worried, but this video might start to make them think again. Check it out for yourself!
Even though this video is only 46 seconds long, they still managed to give people one of the best looks at what this off-road SUV can do on rough muddy terrain. Unfortunately, it's still covered in camouflage, so we are unable to see the utility vehicle's styling for these models. Instead, it shows its pure ability, so let's break down this video a little bit so we can actually understand what we're watching.
Not only does this showcase the four-door Bronco, but it also shows the two-door as they cruise around on a wide variety of trails in Georgia. Keep in mind, they are off-roading in clay, which is known to be some of the most challenging terrain to conquer. These Broncos make it look easy, though. We see them climbing steep grades, crawling rocks, crossing deep water, and pushing through some serious ruts.
One cool point in the video that I saw was about halfway through, when you see the vehicle's rear wheel lock up during a tight turn. This is what's known as a "dig," and it applies braking to the rear wheels while the front wheels spin to create an extremely tight turning radius. Not only that, but we've never seen this type of thing implemented on a factory vehicle before.
In my opinion, this SUV will open up a whole new world of opportunity for Ford. Yes, I know they already have the Ford F-150 and other trucks with off-road capabilities, but this thing just seems so much more practical than lugging a full-sized pickup through the trails.
That being said, I'm happy to finally see the release getting closer, but I'll be even happier if they ever roll out the Ford Bronco Raptor. It'd be interesting to see what kind of powertrain they put in that. Next month, the official release will happen, and we'll all be that much closer to seeing these things in person at our local trails.