The brand Ford is associated with several icons. In the past, we’ve seen the blue oval filtrating frisson in people’s hearts with legendary and robust models such as the Thunderbird, Mustang and the GT. While its penetration in the sedan and coupe segment has been preserved well in our memory, it didn’t leave the now most bankable SUV segment undisturbed. Last year, wraps were taken off one of its most ambitious projects, the Bronco. Yes, the same brawny true-blue 4X4 which has been rekindled now and makes its Dubai debut through a virtual launch event. This is not just another SUV, but one which has been readied to take on some segment connoisseurs such as the Jeep Wrangler and the Land Rover Defender. To give those icons a run for their money, there are some appetising customisations, powertrain and body style options available for the UAE.
Design
Designers have to be extra cautious while resuscitating an iconic piece of art. Staying true to its lineage, the new Bronco is a retro-modern contraption inhaling several traits of its progenitor while carrying a youthful and rugged appeal at the same time to bring about the interest of the finicky young minds. Like its American counterpart, the Bronco is also available in 2 and 4-door layouts and will dazzle you with its 150 factory-backed accessories providing a surreal level of personalisation.
It stands on massive wheels underscoring its butch identity along with its boxy proportions to roam around like a hooligan. Depending on the grade opted, its grille design changes from a rectangular mesh pattern to something which relates to a trapezium. Similarity between all the grades is black slabs of hard plastic encapsulating the grille, fenders, door handles, wing mirrors and even a diffuser kit at the bottom which makes it look tighter and tauter.
The 2-door and the 4-door iterations both exude a muscular charm on the side with clean lines and squared portrait of doors to arouse the feeling of driving a behemoth. At the rear, it is a rousing story as the trim chosen decides on the look. One can opt for a fascia having a boot-mounted spare wheel with boxy tail lamps or a tidy look with Bronco lettering spread on the tail and slightly curved tail lamps which actually look better. There are as many as 11 colour options to select and body customisations depend on the four variants beginning with the Big Bend™ and followed by Outer Banks™ and Wildtrak™ to top out at Badlands™.
Interior
If you’ve been privileged enough or are a nabob to experience its predecessor, memories will flood back of the parent model the moment you ogle at this model. A retro-modern theme has been used for this generation. Though the Big Bend™ is the most basic trim of the range, it extrudes luxury on the inside with its minimalistic charm. It gets the basics right with an 8-inch infotainment system, automatic climate control, 17” alloy wheels and LED head lamps and tail lamps. However, upgrading to the top-spec trim will get you a full-sized spare wheel, a heavy-duty front bumper, special hood graphics, drive modes enumerating normal, eco, sport, slippery, sand, mud/ruts and Baja, upgraded bash plates, on-demand 4X4 and electronic locking differential to tag some.
More than the features, the interior’s ambience elevates the appeal. From all-black theme to brown and black, brown highlights for the seats and a sandstorm like shade for the interior periphery, one gets to drool and choose the interior trims he prefers. Some gauges and knobs have been inspired by the first-gen model to keep it linked to the car’s moniker, G.O.A.T (Goes Over Any Terrain). Not many buttons with haptic response have been used to remain true to its heritage. To make sure the occupants get enough grip during their off-road expeditions, the car is awash with hard-wearing grab handles even on the dashboard and centre console. Its wow-factor comes in the form of features such as 12-inch SYNC®4 system which now packs a host of goodies such as 360-degree camera with the segment-first off-road spotter views to provide those details of the terrain which the eye can’t perceive.
Have you ever been hesitant to take your car off the beaten path simply because it would be drenched with water? Ford has got you covered with washable rubberised floors on select versions and has also incorporated drains to spew the water out. The switches mounted on the roof are coated with silicon to protect against the damp weather and water which might filter inside the car when relishing its convertible character being risible.
Safety becomes of paramount importance when the car has to do such hard-core duties. Hence, it has been endowed with side curtain airbags, a roll cage and a gamut of driver assistance bells and whistles have been provided. It also gets a trailer sway control feature which prevents deflection of the trailer even when sharp turns at high speeds are made.
Performance and Drive
An umpteen variety of gasoline engines these days are turbocharged and so are the new Bronco’s powerplants. The range starts with a 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine bonified enough for 275 hp and and 420 Nm of torque. However, for extreme off-road duties, there’s a 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6 engine which produces 330 hp and 563 Nm of torque which comes mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission for seamless driving on the road and on pulverised sections of the tarmac. These figures are great to take everything in its stride that the UAE roads throw at it and the fun just augments when the roof sections are lifted and removed along with the quarter glass for open-top fun.
Its 4X4 technology is so renowned that even the fledgling drivers can go all-out experiencing ultimate off-road mettle of the car. It also comes with a rock/crawl mode to ensure traction on the most slippery surfaces. It also gets a Trail Control feature whereby a specialised cruise control feature for vapid paced trail driving can be engaged on the move. SUVs’ most arduous task is to make turns on tight corners. However, utilising the doles of its Trail Turn Assist, it reduces the turning radius through torque vectoring so that it is easy to make sharp turns without veering the steering wheel having to become a gym workout.
Its high ground clearance coupled with 26.3-degree breakover angle and 37-degree departure angle and best-in-class water wading capacity of 33.5-inches is going to make it a delight coasting through even the most unforgiving sections of road.
The car has been tested in scorching heat at temperatures scaling to 50-degrees Celsius and even the desert to make sure the mammoth is able to withstand the conditions here.
Verdict
The Ford Bronco seems dedicated for an imminent onslaught on its competition. The customisation flavours available on offer, the resurrection of the ‘Bronco’ name, 2-door and 4-door layout with open-top functionality and irresistibly desirable looks, these are some of the factors that are likely to work in its favour. However, the pedigree consciously crafted by the Jeep Wrangler and the masterpiece which the Land Rover Defender is, only time can tell if the Bronco pushes its competition deep in dirt, the perfect battlefield for these heavyweights!
