Ford Bronco DR : Desert Racer

“It’s not just a Bronco with some stripes on it, We were inspired by extreme rally cars, and then went all in. For this skunk works project, the Bronco team quickly found a theme and developed CAD with heavy use of virtual tools. This is an off-road racing vehicle built out of a production vehicle. We’re so happy to have been involved.”

Paul Wraith, Chief Designer, Ford Bronco.

When a brand name as Ford rings into our ears we all can expect something that is definitely going to exist in those vehicles, Innovation and Performance. Bronco™ which is a brand name that has been associated with the Ford family is set to deliver yet again to the tracks and looking at it one can only hold in their breath for so long.

The all new Bronco Desert Racer or Bronco DR is the off-road innovation we were all looking for and it’s going to blow the minds of hard-core enthusiast and automobile lovers all around. Ford is finally taking it upon the desert with a V-8 engine powered modern Bronco which is a beast in its nature. The four door SUV is a one-of-a-kind limited production vehicle which is set to enter the Baja 1000 desert race in 2022. Ford is planning to put a prototype version of the Bronco DR sporting the iconic Ford Performance Red, Black, White and Blue livery honoring the Baja 1000 victory.

With Bronco brand’s Built Wild™ at its core, ensuring the durability and capability for it. The Ford Performance team has managed to design and engineer Bronco DR to withstand the grueling terrain of SCORE Baja 1000 in Baja California, Mexico. With the high temperature that can be experienced in the terrain, its nothing short of torture that they will have to endure for days. Ensuring this in mind Bronco DR is packing a long list of hardware that is specifically designed for off-road desert racing.

Multimatic, a long time collaborator with Ford Performance has enhanced a brand-exclusive High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension (H.O.S.S.) system, adding Positional Selective DSSV Dampers with 80-millimeter bodies with finned fluid cooling channels, as well as designed billet aluminum lower control arms for the Bronco DR. The race vehicle which has a weight of 6,200 pound (Approx. 2800 Kg) has taken its designs in the mind to conquer the nastiest routes of the desert by featuring an approach angle of 47 degrees, departure angle of 37 degrees and breakover angle of 33 degrees, it also has a 73.7 inch front track and a 73.3 inch rear track providing a firm footing for it.

It rides on 37-inch BFGoodrich® Mud-Terrain T/A® KM3 all-season tires (37×12.5R17) and bead lock wheels. It also has the Multimatic FEA-optimized full safety cage with integrated OE ACCRA® tubes which encase the two-passenger cockpit, featuring a pair of race seats and Motec C187 display and CAN data acquisition system, with optional cloud-based data access. Bronco DR is fitted with the 10R80 transmission and electric shift on the fly transfer case from the Built Ford Tough F-150. It has added the front half-shafts which are unique RCV designs to ensure robustness for additional torque capacity and suspension travel, along with large air intakes on the upper sides and another on the roof provide additional cooling air to the radiator which is located in the rear position.

It comes with a 65-gallon fuel tank that rides below the cargo area. More than a muscular fiberglass race body that is built on the heritage-inspired style of the sixth-generation Bronco, the first-ever Bronco DR helps to ensure maximum off-road performance while nodding to the brand’s rich competition history.

Behind the resin transfer molded (RTM) fiberglass body panels, the Bronco DR retains the four-door model’s frame and body structure. The air conditioning system, interior amenities and all glass have been removed for optimizing the weight for its racing capabilities. Inspired from the Bronco R, the side panels take the place of standard doors while the tubular metal front bumper, as well as a host of other features, draws a connection with the current production model. It wears a single-piece grille, production round headlamps, taillamps and trail sights. The purpose-built and race-focused cockpit features the Bronco four-door instrument panel with signature grab handles and power dome. Furthermore with the intention of its competition-ready approach, cooling air intakes dominate the upper body,

In 2021, the Bronco R was designed with the intention of proving the Ford powertrain, chassis and suspension design. It has the intention of becoming the turnkey racing solution for the future of off-road racing, its mission to compete in world-class off-road races. Analyzing the specifics of this beauty one can easily understand that this is not meant for the normal roads and doesn’t comply with the legalities of the street. Even to own one of these one may have to put up approximately $200,000 up front. The resolution of what takes place when it’s put on the racing grounds is yet to be seen, and is surely something to watch out for.

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