Ford first promised the Bronco would return at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show, along with the Ranger. While the automaker’s midsize pickup is already on sale at dealers, its rough-and-tumble utility vehicle sibling has yet to make its debut.
Even though Ford has remained tight-lipped on the Bronco thus far, the company has confirmed a few things, and there are plenty of rumors to keep us waiting with bated breath until its actual reveal. Here’s everything we know so far.
Powertrain, drivetrain
One of the biggest questions surrounding the new Bronco is what will live under the hood. Ford has a wide variety of engines on offer, but considering the Ranger sports a 2.3-liter, turbocharged inline-four, that’s a good place to start, especially considering a possible leak might have confirmed it. Ford also said during a shareholder call that it will launch a hybrid Bronco variant in the future, as well.
Given that the Bronco will share a platform with the Ranger, it’s likely that a number of the Ranger’s underlying bits will transfer over to the Bronco. Parts like the 10-speed automatic transmission, two-speed transfer case and electric power steering could all make an appearance, but Ford hasn’t discussed much yet.
Since the Bronco is a global vehicle, there’s a good chance that other markets will receive something other than a gas engine. Overseas Ranger variants, including the Ranger Raptor, sport a four-cylinder diesel engine, but given the US distaste for diesels, each market will likely receive powertrains tailored to its needs and wants.
There’s one very interesting rumor that Ford has not yet confirmed. According to some serious digging on Jalopnik’s part, it’s believed that the Bronco might be offered with a seven-speed manual transmission. That would certainly give it a unique touch, and it would match the fact that Jeep offers a manual transmission in the Wrangler, but Ford hasn’t spoken to that rumor at this point.