In good news for Australian fans of the retro Ford Bronco off-roader, the Blue Oval’s boss has provided the biggest hint yet that it’ll finally be built in right-hand drive.
Launched in 2020 following a 25-year break from when the last-generation Bronco was produced, Ford’s rugged SUV has become a popular offering in the US, not only for its Jeep Wrangler-rivalling off-road abilities but also for its throwback design.
However, despite being based on the same T6 platform as the Ranger – of which Ford Australia led development – the Bronco has rolled off US and Chinese production lines exclusively in left-hand drive.
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Bronco Raptor
While Ford CEO Jim Farley has previously said the Bronco could be built in right-hand drive, overwhelming demand for the model has meant doing so would limit output for existing markets where it’s a big profit booster.
However, speaking to the UK’s Car Magazine, Mr Farley appears to be more open to a right-hand drive Bronco, which could be sold not only there but also in Australia and New Zealand.
“The big Bronco will do right-hand drive and I think it’s worth a try,” Mr Farley said.
Mr Farley specifically referenced British off-road vehicle icon Land Rover being sold by Ford to Tata in 2008, suggesting the Blue Oval could eventually return to a similar segment through the Bronco.
“We had a break-up with a marriage there. The next step is to go dating again, right?”
If it did come to Australia, the Ford Bronco would be a natural competitor to the Jeep Wrangler, which enjoyed a boom in sales throughout the COVID-19 pandemic but has since throttled back following significant price increases.
When Mr Farley last spoke of the Bronco being on the cards for right-hand drive, Ford had only just launched its current-generation Ranger, which has since become the best-selling vehicle in Australia, toppling the Toyota HiLux.
While there’s no indication on when we could potentially see the Bronco on local shores with factory backing, in 2022 Mr Farley said the brand’s order books stretched to now, and that it was working to clear the backlogs.
“We could do Bronco and Bronco Sport for the globe for sure. But we have like a year or two of orders for now, we have a lot of work to do with capacity before we can even consider that,” Mr Farley told CarExpert.
“Of course it can be engineered, like Mustang, but we have to invest in the capacity.
“We’re still in the first or second inning… So give us some time.”
In the US, the Ford Bronco is available in both two- and four-door body styles, each with a choice of petrol engines.
These comprise a turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder (205kW/427Nm), a twin-turbocharged 2.7-litre V6 (235kW/556Nm), and a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 (312kW/597Nm) in the flagship Raptor, which puts out more than the Ranger Raptor in Australia.
A 10-speed automatic transmission is available across the range, while the entry-level engine is the only one to score the option of a seven-speed manual.
Drive is sent to all four wheels through a two-speed transfer case, which can either be manually or automatically controlled.
Bronco Sport
US buyers also get to buy a smaller Bronco-badged SUV if they want the rugged looks without the same level of capability and performance.
The Bronco Sport shares its underpinnings with the Escape, and can be had with a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder (135kW/260Nm) or turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine (183kW/373Nm), both mated to eight-speed automatic transmissions and driving all four wheels.
Like the full-size Bronco, it’s not made in right-hand drive. Unlike the Bronco, it isn’t exported to Europe, where the Escape – known there as the Kuga – lives on after being axed in Australia.
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