Ford's 'Baby Bronco' Rumored to Have a Real Name
The affectionately nicknamed “Baby Bronco” is due to debut later this year. Unfortunately, rather than being a pint-sized ORV, the vehicle is presumed to be a crossover sharing parts with the Escape and Focus. While none of us should have been shocked Ford would make this into a lifestyle vehicle, many held out hopes that the Diet Bronco would be more than a city car playing dress-up.
Confirmation that the auto would be unibody certainly took some of the wind out of its sails, but the model is still surrounded by intrigue. Most that stems from wondering exactly how capable the Bronco Jr. will be on a gnarly trail. The rest has to do with what Ford is actually going to call it, as nobody was positive it would hold onto the Bronco moniker.
According to Ford Authority, the vehicle’s official title will be the Bronco Adventurer:
The new naming convention will help identify the smaller Bronco model within the revived Bronco lineup, which will also include the “regular” Ford Bronco model, which will be larger and ride on a body-on-frame platform when compared to the smaller, unibody Bronco Adventurer.
Notably, Ford has yet to file a trademark application for Bronco Adventurer. Previously, it filed an application for Bronco Scout, which many believed will be the name for the smaller Bronco model.
Since it’s utilizing Ford’s C2 platform, expect a batch of four-cylinder engines and front-wheel drive at launch. All-wheel drive is supposed to be an option, though perhaps not immediately. A plug-in hybrid version is also rumored to be in the works.
Thus far, all we’ve seen of the car are some camouflaged spy shots and a handful of leaked images from a Ford dealer meeting in Las Vegas. Aimed at mimicking the original Bronco’s boxy body, the Adventurer is rumored to be one of several models occupying a pseudo sub-brand targeting Jeep. The crossover is also designed to be highly customizable, incorporating a removable hard top and doors that can be stored in the vehicle’s cargo area.
Assembly is claimed to begin in the second half of 2020 at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant.
[Image: Ford Motor Co.]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Will this 'thing' have a 3 cylinder or 4 cylinder motor, and will it be made in Turkey or India. ? I think Ford is keeping the most important details for us to find out later.
How about calling it the Pinto. or the Aspire since it aspires to be a Bronco.