The red above is a concept that many people may have forgotten. Ford unveiled this Bronco Concept at the 2004 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. At the time, the Bronco was only a handful of years away and it generated some serious excitement among Blue Oval fans off-road. It took 16 years for the basic design of that concept to become a reality, but a very different Bronco could have risen from the ashes of the concept.
That’s the word from Bronco design boss Paul Wraith. Muscle Cars & Trucks recently he talked to him about the 2021 newborns, and although there is clearly a strong resemblance between the new SUV and the concept, other designs were on the table. In fact, Wraith states that the new Bronco is not derived from the concept despite sharing chunky, boxy proportions. Short overhangs, a flat roof, straight pillars; these are basic elements of the off-roading formula and a side effect of creating something to conquer rough terrain. So while the concept had an off-road retro design, it also had definite futuristic bytones.
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The new Bronco was not proposed to be futuristic, and at least for a while also not proposed to be retro. Wraith says some designs were considered that had no retro flavor at all. Unfortunately, there are no photos or sketches to visualize this approach, but Wraith describes the alternatives as “really wild” and a “bubbling blob.” Take that as you will, but to us it sounds like organic designs similar to the Ford Escape.
It’s just over a month since the boxy, retro-tasting Bronco officially debuted and honestly, it’s hard to imagine the image net being square. And with more than 165,000 deposits for the Bronco and Bronco Sport already on the books and a possible 18-month waiting period for delivery, it’s safe to say we’re not the only ones feeling that way.
