Ford Bronco debut scheduled for July
The coronavirus shelved previous plans, but we now know the off-road SUV is coming next month.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a semi-specific date for the Ford Bronco's debut.
On Thursday, a Ford spokesperson confirmed a July debut for the off-road SUV on Twitter. As for a specific date, it's unclear yet and Ford declined to comment further. It's likely the debut will be virtual noting ongoing social distancing measures put in place amid the coronavirus pandemic, but we'll have to wait and see what Ford has planned exactly.
Speaking of the pandemic, the virus originally delayed the SUV's debut, which was likely scheduled for some time in April. Media had already received invitations for preview events Ford then canceled as state and local governments began enacting stay-at-home measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. Ford since maintained the SUV would still debut this spring, but a July debut technically pushes the reveal into this summer.
Despite a delayed debut, it's not to say we're totally in the dark when it comes to the Bronco. Aside from leaked images making their way to the internet that show a properly retro design, we've heard plenty to put together a picture of what to expect from the SUV when it does debut. The roof and doors should be removable and feature plenty of safety guardrails, like repackable airbags, according to patent filings.
We'll likely see two engine choices as well. One should be a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four shared with the Ranger pickup, and the other should be a turbocharged V6. There's also a strong possibility we'll see a seven-speed manual transmission. The odd, extra gear may end up being a "crawl" gear for low speeds and lots of torque to crawl along the unbeaten path.
Frankly, we're giddy at finally getting some solid news on the Bronco. Ford's teased the SUV for years now ever since it confirmed the nameplate would make a comeback, and now, we're just a month and some change away from seeing the thing.