On January 29, the China-made Ford Bronco made its debut. It is a hard-core mid-size SUV with a body-on-frame construction, and it will have excellent off-road capabilities. The Chinese version is powered by a 2.3T EcoBoost engine from Changan Auto, and it basically retains the original design of the US version, but it has been optimized for the needs of Chinese consumers. For example, the interior textures and materials have been upgraded. In addition, the new car has a factory-authorized professional modification version. The price is expected to be around 300,000 yuan (~US$41,000).
It is worth noting that the existing hard-core off-road SUV TANk 300 (from Great Wall Motors) has been dominating the sales charts for a long time in the Chinese market. Due to its price advantage, TANK 300 has occupied a large market share. With the popularity of TANK 300, the number of hard-core off-road players in the Chinese market is increasing. For example, Jetour Traveler under Chery, the newly launched BYD Bao 5, and Beijing BJ40 all have their own characteristics. Ford Bronco still faces strong challenges in the Chinese market.
The exterior of Ford Bronco for the Chinese market is a continuation of the classic design of the US version. The rugged exterior pays homage to the original Bronco of 1966. The entire body is full of power, giving off an urge to go wild outdoors.
The front face features a frameless grille design that blends seamlessly with the headlights. The center of the grille features the Ford Bronco logo “FORD BRONCO”. The sides of the grille feature retro round headlights with dual bullet-hole styling. A horizontal daytime running light crosses over the round daytime running lights, dividing the headlights into two sections. The steel bumper features tow hooks on both sides, which can be used to install a winch.
The Ford Bronco China spec has a length of 4,825mm, a width of 2,070mm, and a height of 1,990mm. The wheelbase is 2,950mm. This gives the Bronco a relatively large size and a spacious interior. The side profile of the Bronco is quite rugged, with frameless doors that give it a modern look.
The base version has an approach angle of 38 degrees, a departure angle of 31 degrees, a breakover angle of 22 degrees, a minimum ground clearance of 237/242mm, and a maximum water fording depth of 800mm.
The Badlands and Wildtark versions: approach angle of 45 degrees, departure angle of 37 degrees, breakover angle of 26 degrees, minimum ground clearance of 273mm, maximum water fording depth of 850mm (with snorkel 925mm).
The interior of Ford Broncohas been upgraded for the Chinese market. The materials and workmanship are more refined and have a certain sense of luxury. The upper part of the center console is made of soft-touch materials. The upper part of the console features commonly used off-road function buttons, which are easier to operate. These buttons include front anti-roll bar disconnect, front differential lock, rear differential lock, off-road turn assist, and off-road crawl mode. The upper part of the center console also provides interfaces and charging ports for external devices.
The steering wheel features a variety of function buttons, providing a comprehensive range of controls. The interior is equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12-inch digital center touchscreen. The instrument cluster displays professional off-road information, while the center touchscreen is powered by the Ford SYNC+ Intelligent Interconnection System. The system offers a wider range of functional extensions and better stability, and supports CarPlay and voice control.
The SYNC+ system is also equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 high-performance chip, which has a computing power of 105k. This allows for more impressive in-car effects and animations, as well as support for future 3-5 year FOTA upgrades.
Additionally, the new Bronco supports drone connectivity. In extreme environments, the center touchscreen can display a live view from the drone, allowing drivers to see the road ahead. The Bronco is also equipped with a 10-speaker B&O sound system.
In addition to the standard safety features mentioned above, Chinese Ford Bronco also comes with eight ultrasonic radars, five high-definition cameras, and three millimeter-wave radars. This allows the vehicle to offer a variety of advanced driver assistance features, including adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and blind spot monitoring.
The Chinese Ford Bronco will be available in two factory-authorized professional off-road versions: the Badlands and the Wildtark. These versions will be equipped with upgraded off-road kits, including:
- Goodyear 35-inch mud tires
- 4.7 rear axle ratio
- Dana front/rear electronic mechanical differential locks
- EMOD intelligent full-time four-wheel drive system
- Bilstein three-stage nitrogen shock absorbers
Both models will also be equipped with an intelligent anti-roll bar disconnect function. This function allows the single-side suspension to have a longer free travel. The anti-roll bar can be disconnected on uneven roads, and it will automatically connect when the speed exceeds 32 km/h. It will disconnect again when the speed is below 32 km/h.
The China-made Ford Bronco is powered by a 2.3T turbocharged EcoBoost engine produced by Changan Automobile. The engine produces a maximum power of 202 kW and a maximum torque of 429 Nm. The top speed is 161 km/h. The engine is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The locally produced Ford Bronco is manufactured by Jiangling Ford, a joint venture between Ford and Jiangling Motors in China.
