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Ford Bronco debut scheduled for July

The coronavirus shelved previous plans, but we now know the off-road SUV is coming next month.

Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.
Sean Szymkowski
2 min read
Ford Bronco July debut
Ford

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.

Ford Bronco leak
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Ford Bronco leak

Here's the SUV before you're supposed to see it.

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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 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.

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