The Ford Bronco is a legend, and there are plenty of restomod shops taking vintage versions and churning out some of the best custom-crafted Broncos around. And it seems the world can't get enough of them since Ford is about to introduce the next-generation Bronco very soon.
Ford just released shots of the new Bronco R prototype for the upcoming Baja 1000 endurance race. It's doing so in commemoration of the win 50 years ago by the original Bronco. It's hard to believe the original Bronco that won the Baja 1000 did so half a century ago, and there's no question the new one is far tougher and more technologically advanced.
The prototype version has a lot going for it in terms of ruggedness. First of all, the composite body gets bolted to an ultra-rugged chassis that's mean to take off-road punishment in droves. The body actually uses "Bronco R" branded rivets on the exterior, and the body gets painted in the same colorway as the paint livery as its predecessor but with more modern graphics. It also comes with high-travel suspension, extra-wide fenders and wheel clearance, all-terrain tire, beadlock wheels, a full roll cage, and a powerful turbocharged EcoBoost engine, probably similar to the 450-hp version in the current Ford F-150 Raptor.
Up front, there are a ton (fifteen) sets of LED light bars to keep the dark trail ahead illuminated, and the Bronco R also gets robust skid plates to protect its underbelly when it takes on huge jumps and a full spare in back in case things get extra-brutal on the trail. The Bronco name in the grille also brilliantly has the 'R' in Bronco highlighted in red.
The Bronco R prototype is clearly a very capable truck that might share some of the looks of the production Bronco, but we're guessing pretty much none of the rest of the Bronco R will make it to the consumer version. Watch it return to the Baja 1000 from Tuesday, November 19 through Sunday, November 24th to see if it can clinch the win.
