#FordBronco

The Ford Bronco Sport might not be the rugged, go-anywhere SUV that its larger cousin is, but it’s a formidable off-roader in its own right. It’s also surprisingly affordable for what it brings to the table, and a new report from CarsDirect suggests it’s about to get even less expensive.

The Ford Bronco Raptor was already expensive enough even without dealer markups, but the automaker has figured out a way to make it even pricier. Under the darkness of the eclipse on Monday, Ford announced the Bronco Raptor Black Appearance Package. The $4,995 option adds to the $90,305 (before destination) starting price and mostly amounts to decals and painted exterior trim to the beefy SUV without changing its performance or capability.

It’s still difficult to buy a Ford Maverick and Bronco, both now a few years out from their initial releases, but there’s more on the way. The popular compact pickup and off-road SUV could be getting new variants soon, as the keen eyes at Motor 1 picked out language in its third-quarter sales results that could indicate fresh versions of both vehicles are on the way.

Sit down, buckle up, and be quiet. I heard those words many times from my parents and have likely said them countless times to my own kids, but a recent patent from Ford may change how people ride in their vehicles – at least off-road.

Trail Turn Assist is a cool Ford Bronco feature that brakes the inside rear wheel to tighten the turning radius and help the SUV navigate challenging off-road obstacles. Though helpful, some owners have reported that the feature could damage the vehicle.

Ford has struggled to keep pace with Bronco production since the beginning, and demand doesn’t seem to be waning. Buyers may wait months for their preferred configuration after ordering, and that’s if orders are being accepted. When it rains, it pours for Ford, as the company now faces an uphill battle to prepare for next-generation Ranger production. One of the ways it hopes to smooth the launch of its new midsize truck is to streamline Bronco production, leading it to pause production and orders for manual transmission variants, the Base trim, and the new Everglades model.

This 1970 Ford Bronco restomod still needs exterior work, but the seller claims that it runs and drives well.

It had better, for $45,000.

The new Ford Bronco may be one of the most hotly anticipated vehicle releases in decades. The Blue Oval still has a list of orders to fulfill for the SUV almost two years after its release, but analysts are already looking ahead to the Bronco’s second generation. 

Those who’ve studied the build and price site for the Ford Bronco will note that the company labels the upper trim Badlands and Wildtrak versions as the ones you should select if you plan to go wheelin’ often. That’s before even thinking about adding the Sasquatch package.

The "Save the Manuals" crew will also note that the Badlands trim is the only way to get a loaded Bronco with a clutch pedal.

Complaints of “catastrophic engine failure” involving the 2021 Ford Bronco have led to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiating a Federal Safety Investigation.

The popular image of Henry Ford must be rolling over in its gilded grave at the proliferation of option packages and customization choices available these days. Of course, I’m talking about his ode to speeding up mass production – “Any color, so long as it is black” being the supposed mantra to make the Model T line move more efficiently.

While most automakers don’t let you run quite as wild with the options list as one might have in the Sixties, some cars do offer a dazzling array of options packages and standalone features allowing you to “customize” your vehicle to your anticipated needs. The 2022 Ford Bronco seen here is one of the most prolific in that regard, offering (by my count) eight different trim levels taking the offroader from mild to Wild(trak) and beyond.

This two-door Outer Banks trim sits somewhere in the middle of the lineup – it offers more luxury and convenience features than the base trims while wearing a set of road-focused, somewhat low profile all-terrain tires and 18” wheels compared to the sixteen and seventeen inchers found on the more hardcore models. Could the Outer Banks be the Goldilocks package?

Just about every automaker has committed itself to going “all-electric” at some point in the next decade, and whether you think that’s a good thing or a bad thing, it means that the internal combustion engine (“ICE”, for the purposes of this article) is dead tech walking. Death and discontinuation are usually one-way tickets to the scrap heap for cars – but some cars are different. Some cars are special, and being made rare or obsolete just makes them more appealing.

The Great Jack Baruth once called this The Grand National Problem, and I think there are a few ICE cars out there that will be more appealing to car guys and gals than others in 20- or 30-years’ time. As such, I’ve taken some time to look at the automotive class of 2022 and pick my 5 future ICE Age Classics. Enjoy!

The North American International Auto Show, aka the Detroit Auto Show, isn’t taking place in January anymore. It’s set for a move to September.

But that didn’t stop the traditional North American Car and Truck of the Year award ceremony from taking place at Cobo Center Huntington Place this morning.

Think you have a hard time keeping track of all the trims and bodystyles on the Ford Bronco now?

Well, get ready for more. At least one more trim is on the way for 2022.