Off Roading with the 2021 Bronco

[FishOnOne]

I can't wait to test out one of these new Broncos.

And as always for your viewing entertainment.

Link

[Grit_dog]

Got to tear up the trails around Boulder NV with this thing over Xmas. Buddy down there is big into buggies and rails.

3 words....
O M G

200+ hp (it's not stock, he said 230hp I believe, but I don't remember, felt like 400...lol)
Absolutely ridiculous power and handling and suspension. Aside from it's a toy and not a real street vehicle like a jeep, the jeep is like a 1997 Polaris Ranger and this is like a 2020 Ford Raptor!

[Grit_dog]

specta wrote:

RoyJ wrote:
and Jeep to be a bit more humble with their prices.

2021 Can-Am MAVERICK X3 MAX X RS TURBO RR $30,399.00




2021 Jeep Wrangler from $28,475

The Can Am is the top of the line and the Jeep is the bottom, but I think its the OHVs that are ridiculously priced and not soo much Jeeps.

The SxS argument is a bit worn out. Expensive? Yup, very expensive.
Compared to 2 new top of the line snowmachines or 2 new top of the line quads, it's in line with the market and the 4 seaters can haul your whole family.
If you want to go poking along a trail, doing some off roading, a Jeep is a better value.
But if you want essentially the best combination of Baja 1000/King of Hammers and peel your face off power, you have to pay for it.

I don't have the time or place for one a hot rod SxS yet, but it's on the short list of fun toys to buy when the time comes. They are ridiculously fun and capable. And the suspensions alone are worth the price of admission. You couldn't build one for the same price, likely.

[Grit_dog]

RoyJ wrote:


I don't expect a full re-birth of the market, as demand is too low. But any challenge would drive Toyota to some innovation, and Jeep to be a bit more humble with their prices.

Alot of truth to that statement. 4 door Wranglers (with the pathetic, oil leaking representation of an engine in the 3.6 V6) command almost as much money as full size SUV like a Tahoe. With good off road capability in case the owner curb checks a wheel in the Starbucks drive thru.
And the 4 Runner, which apparently has no price ceiling due to the iconic name and reputation the old ones earned. (Still a VERY nice vehicle, but c'mon, $50k + price tag on some of them for a mid size suv without anything exotic like a diesel, a V8 or a turbo?)

Ford saw a market opportunity and will likely do well at it.

[specta]

2021 Ford Bronco Testing in Moab, Utah

[specta]

RoyJ wrote:
and Jeep to be a bit more humble with their prices.

2021 Can-Am MAVERICK X3 MAX X RS TURBO RR $30,399.00




2021 Jeep Wrangler from $28,475

The Can Am is the top of the line and the Jeep is the bottom, but I think its the OHVs that are ridiculously priced and not soo much Jeeps.

[srt20]

I like the innovation in the Bronco. IMO the front end will need some work for rock crawling, but maybe it will push better innovation to Jeep.
That said, I think the bronco will handle easy rock crawling ok. Most people that do harder stuff modify their Jeeps from stock anyway.
I think the Bronco will likely drive much better than the Wrangler on road.

[specta]

IdaD wrote:
The articulation shot was a great example of solid axles vs independent suspension. Rear flexed great, front flexed almost none. 99% of buyers won't care, of course. Not much flexing needed to run to Costco.

I read somewhere that about 3% of Jeep owners actually take them off road other than just down a dirt road.

I'm sure the numbers for the new Bronco will be about the same. There is a two year back order for a new Bronco already.

[RoyJ]

I'm just glad we get any new off road capable SUVs today!

40 years ago every "SUV" had off road capability. 30 years ago they started domestication, birth of the soccer SUV. 20 years ago we had a 50:50 split of offroad capable vs crossovers. Every Jeep still had solid axleS, Xterra, ZR2 Blazer, 4runner, Montero, Trooper, all LRs had solid axles.

10 years ago truck based SUVs were dying fast, only the 4runner & Jeep in the midsize market, Xterra on deathbed, and LC in the premium market. GM and Ford full sizes have grown too bulky for off roading.

I don't expect a full re-birth of the market, as demand is too low. But any challenge would drive Toyota to some innovation, and Jeep to be a bit more humble with their prices.

[specta]

These pictures were taken at my friend's, the guy on the far left - home this past Aug.

Brad Lovell has been testing these Broncos for three years. They called Geof and asked him if he and his wife could fix the team dinner on there way to Moab from the Rubicon Trail. They did not want to stop in town and draw a crowd.







They let Geof sit in them and they spent some time showing them off to him. They wouldn't let him take pictures of the interior full of testing equipment and they never let him see un the hood of any of them.

My friend has been on the pit crew of Amzoil Racing during the Baja 1000.

[time2roll]

Too bad nothing difficult was shown. Probably did not even need 4WD for what was presented.
Does it tow 4 down?

[RobWNY]

I think I missed the part where they went over some rocks. I watch several youtube videos of desert rescues and see some amazing rock climbing in vehicles. Straight up and over, getting out and using other rocks to make a ramp to climb over boulders etc. Although the Bronco looks like a very nice vehicle, it's nowhere near the vehicles that people spend a lot of money on to off road for real!

[opnspaces]

Agreed Old-Biscuit, but that's unfortunately all the capability most people really want.

I remember many years ago my neighbor bought a 4x4 explorer and took it up to the local mountains looking for somewhere to put it in four wheel drive. He found a dirt road with some minor ruts that truthfully any vehicle could traverse and came back all smiles. He probably never took it off the pavement again.

[Old-Biscuit]

WOW!

Drove thru some sand, down a dirt road and over a rock.....Woo-Hoo

[IdaD]

The articulation shot was a great example of solid axles vs independent suspension. Rear flexed great, front flexed almost none. 99% of buyers won't care, of course. Not much flexing needed to run to Costco.