Ford teased a hardcore Bronco earlier this month and the company has followed up with a new teaser image and confirmation that the model wears 37-inch tires. This is interesting for a number of reasons as the tires are larger than the 35-inchers found on the Bronco Wildtrak.
More importantly, it suggests the model
has a heavily revised suspension. During a press briefing ahead of the Bronco’s
debut, Ford officials told us the ‘standard’ Bronco runs into “clearance
issues” when equipped with tires that are larger than 35-inches. Given that
this variant has 37-inch tires, it’s only natural to assume engineers have made
a number of modifications to ensure the off-roader has plenty of clearance.
Of course, this isn’t too surprise as we
noted the original teaser image showed an upgraded suspension which traded
aluminum components for beefier steel replacements. Besides the larger tires
and upgraded suspension, the model could be equipped with a more powerful
engine. Ford has already downplayed the possibility of a V8 and speculation
suggests the company will instead use a version of the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6
found in the Explorer ST.
In the crossover, it’s rated at 400 hp and 562 Nm of torque. This would be a significant
improvement over the Bronco’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 which develops 310 hp and 542 Nm of torque. While there’s some debate over
whether the model will be call a Raptor or Warthog, Ford mentioned “hooves” in
today’s teaser. This could have some significance as Motor1 noted Warthogs have
hooves, while raptors have claws.
