"Broncosaurus" of our time - the new Ford Bronco

In North America, Ford began selling the sixth generation of the Bronco. The intrigue lies in the fact that the production of the fifth generation was discontinued already in 1996. What made the Fordists “take off the handbrake” after 25 years and revive the old legend?


Although, it must be admitted that Bronco has never been a legend. It was conceived as Ford's answer to the Jeep Wrangler.



Built on the basis of the F-series pickups (the first and second generations were made on the basis of the F-100, and from the third to the end of production - on the F-150 platform), the Bronco was not even close in popularity to its progenitor. However, he still competed with the Jeep and forced the Wrangler to make some room in the market.



It is noteworthy that the "Bronco" of the first generation was nicknamed "goat" (goat). If only our GAZ-69 had known that it had a namesake across the ocean! However, the Fordists gracefully turned out and deciphered the four letters of the insulting nickname as “goes over any terrain”, that is, “it will pass everywhere”.
Well, we'll get back to the nicknames, but now let's get acquainted with the brand new Ford Bronco.



As before, the main target for the Bronco was the Wrangler. And I must admit, the shot turned out to be successful. In almost everything, the Ford, at least a little bit, is better than the Jeep. True, this is if we talk about the real Bronco.



Ford Bronco exists in three variations:

• ✪ Short wheelbase three-door (wheelbase 2550 mm, length 4412 mm)
• ✪ Long wheelbase five-door with hardtop (wheelbase 2949 mm, length just over 4,8 m)
• ✪ The same "long" car, but with a soft folding roof.
  

Despite the soft-roof version, any modification can give a convertible experience - the hard-roof sections are easily removed and just as easily placed in the trunk. There, if desired, you can also fold the doors - the dismantling tool is included with by car. And those whose hands are really itching are allowed to unscrew the fenders, bumpers and radiator grille. But the windshield, like on the Wrangler, cannot be folded down.

Design

The designers tried hard to ensure that the DNA of the previous five generations unmistakably appeared in the appearance of the new car. And they got the job done! The Ford team managed to carve an extremely recognizable image - not every carving specialist can repeat it. Even the five-door version (and all previous Broncos were only three-door) does not seem alien to this company. And the short-wheelbase car seemed to have absorbed family traits with the antifreeze of their ancestors.



The frameless glass doors are somewhat embarrassing - not the best solution for a serious "rogue". But it's a price to pay for being able to put those doors in the trunk.



Even despite its "convertible" Ford Bronco retains a full roof rack. In which, by the way, security curtains were sewn up - Jeep Wrangler, with its tubular frame, does not have such an option. Again, "real" racks made it possible to do without a cross beam above the riders' heads. The sky in the Bronco is clear from the windshield to the back of the back seat.

Salon

The interior of the Ford Bronco is brutal but stylish. I’m not sure that it can be washed with a hose, as in the new Defender, but it’s definitely not afraid of dirt. The seat upholstery is made of thick leatherette, the plastic is simple and easy to clean, the buttons (real, not touch!) are rubberized. Despite the “non-premium” materials, the interior does not look cheap.



The location of the power window button blocks is unusual. For both front and rear passengers, they are located on the base of the center armrest. Again, because of the removable doors.



The electric "handbrake" button is inconveniently located - on the left, at the bottom of the front panel, behind the light control unit. You have to feel drawn to it.

And on the central tunnel is the controller of the GOAT system. Remember, I promised to return to the nicknames? Witty Ford marketers remembered the informal name of the old "Bronco" and turned it into a catchy "trick". Moreover, in modern Internet culture, this abbreviation has received a new meaning - "greatest of all time", which can be translated as "the best of all time." This is how screen navigators express their admiration in chat rooms.

trunk

The trunk volume of the short version is 668 liters, for the five-door - 1000 liters. True, this is with loading "under the ceiling." If you fold the rear row of seats, the hold will increase to 1500 and 2200 liters, respectively.



But using the trunk is inconvenient. In any version, the tailgate is narrow, hinged. The top half of the opening is covered either by the soft top section (which can be lifted, but two latches must first be released) or by a lifting window on hardtop vehicles. And this is where the engineers screwed up. You can raise the glass only by fully opening the tailgate before this - otherwise it rests on the edge of the door. And what will it be like to do in a tight parking lot or when you are pulled in behind?

Technique

Where the new Bronco has changed its roots is in the choice of base. Pickup F-150 is no longer related to him! The SUV is built on the T6 frame platform, developed in Australia for the Ford Ranger pickup truck. It has an independent suspension at the front (how do you like it, Jeep Wrangler?), at the back - a continuous axle on springs.

Two engines offered

• ✪ The base "four" turbocharged EcoBoost series, 2,3 liters, 270 hp. (420 Nm)
• ✪ "Supercharged" V6 has a volume of 2,7 liters and already produces 310 hp. and 540 Nm of torque.
  

For the older engine, a 10-speed “automatic” is offered without an alternative, while a weaker engine can be obtained with a 7-speed manual gearbox. Moreover, the additional gear in the "mechanics" is actually not the 7th, but the 0,5th. It is intended for the "creeping" mode, and is indicated on the lever with the letter C (from the word crowl - "crawl").



The all-wheel drive system does not have a center differential. There is a two-stage transfer case with a hard “front end” connection. By the way, this can be done on the go, using an electromechanical drive. As an option, a "razdatka" with a clutch package is offered - in this case, the electronics are responsible for connecting the front axle.



The buttons on the aforementioned GOAT system washer select transmission modes - rear or four-wheel drive, low gear and Auto mode for machines with a clutch. By rotating the same puck, you can set the algorithm of the electronic assistant - Eco, Normal, Sport, Slippery (for slippery surfaces), Sand (sand), Mud (dirt), Baja (buggy mode when you roll "for all the money")

In move

Rides "Bronco" as it should be an SUV of its class. On the pavement, it is quite cruel, rulitsya with a slight delay, on a straight line it requires taxiing. But it still makes an impression a little better than the Jeep Wrangler - the one is even tougher, shaky and rolly.



When going off-road, everything falls into place - here the Bronco is in its element. Especially if you are wearing off-road tires.
Definitely the weak point of the new Bronco is acoustic comfort. In cars with a hard top, the situation is better, but speaking in a low voice will not work even while standing still. And with a soft top, there is only one consolation - to throw off the "hat" and - "the wind in the mug, I ..."

The result?

Sales in the US are already underway, with the base three-door starting at $30. And this, for a second, is about 000 million rubles. We would like such prices, right? However, let's pick up saliva - we will not have such prices, nor such cars. At least not soon.



As for the “fat” five-doors, their price tag is about twice as high.
No doubt the Bronco would mess with the Wrangler's nervous system. If he could do it in our market - I'm sure there would be a lot of people who want to buy, even if not at such "sweet" prices. That's just a problem with those who want to sell. Ford withdrew from our market and when it plans to return is unknown. But we will hope. The main thing is faith and desire, right?