When Ford debuted the Bronco last month, it bucked the trend of crossover soft-roaders and launched a true off-roader equipped to compete with the Jeep Wrangler. These days, "off-roading" isn't solely an activity in itself but also a component of greater overland, camping and action-sport adventures. With a series of new, fancily dressed concepts, Ford shows how buyers will be able to customize the Bronco into their very own personalized adventure rig, whether for fishing the coast or crawling through the remotest corners of the US Southwest.
It's only been public a month, but the Bronco has already proved itself a raging success for Ford. In fact, the Blue Oval says the "unprecedented reveal" has pulled in 13 million debut viewers, nearly 20 million website visitors, and, most importantly, 165,000 vehicle order deposits.
Ford is keeping that momentum moving by using the Bronco's 55th birthday this week to announce the first "Bronco Off-Roadeo" in Austin, Texas, next summer. A cornerstone of Ford's plan to make the Bronco more than just a vehicle, Off-Roadeo events will help build a Bronco community while enriching Bronco ownership with off-road and adventure experiences. The Austin event will precede three additional Off-Roadeos in locations to be announced later.
Designed with these Off-Roadeos in mind, the Bronco Sport Off-Roadeo Adventure Patrol is the first of today's SEMA-style Bronco concepts that highlight some of the 200+ accessories that will play nicely with Bronco models. The lavishly decorated Bronco Sport Badlands concept will provide on-ground support at the Off-Roadeo events, carrying around recovery gear like a high-lift jack, with recovery boards and jerry cans on its Yakima LockNLoad roof rack.
A Rigid off-road LED bar ensures the Adventure Patrol is able to navigate pitch-black wilderness after dusk, while an interior bike rack keeps two mountain bikes ready – hopefully only for recreation but potentially useful for speedy rescues on trails too narrow for motor vehicles. A landing pad painted on the hood will help bring home the drone used to film attendees' adventures from the sky above.
A fun-loving summer favorite, the Bronco Four-Door Outer Banks Fishing Guide concept is built around the idea of cruising the coast as a professional fishing guide. Starting with the only logical Bronco for the job, the Four-Door Outer Banks trim, the concept adds a Bestop Sunrider retractable soft-top over the front seats to let in the salty fresh air. Behind that soft panel is a smaller Yakima LockNLoad platform rack loaded and locked with a Yeti cooler and traction boards to help out with any tire-swallowing sand along the shore. Above the Ford Performance modular bumper and safari bar in front, a custom rod holder mounted to the fender trail sights keeps fishing poles at the ready. The slide-out tailgate table in back provides a handy work surface.
Ford is also showing a little off-truck accessorization with the Bronco Sport TOW RZR concept, adding the Class II towing package the SUV needs to bring along the newest Polaris RZR XP Turbo 1000. This Bronco Sport Badlands carries other necessary gear on a Yakima cargo basket and crossbars.
Rounding out the conceptual quintuplet is a pair of "Trail Rigs." The Bronco Two-Door Badlands and Bronco Sport Badlands get even further upgraded for hard-nosed off-roading. You can read more about the Two-Door Trail Rig in the gallery.
Happy 55th, Bronco; it's sure to be an exciting year in the life.
Source: Ford