It's Official: Ford Bronco Sasquatch to Get a Stick After All

We wrote last week about rumors that Ford was testing a Bronco with the Sasquatch Package and a manual transmission. That was remarkable because Ford initially said the off-road-performance package would only be available on automatic transmission vehicles.

Which, of course, caused enthusiasts to howl. Especially on Twitter.

In what may be one of the few examples of social media being used as a force for good (your author may be a bit down on social media after watching The Social Dilemma) here in the year 2020, the backlash has prompted Ford to make the manual available in Broncos equipped with Sasquatch, after all.

“The Bronco community spoke and we heard them,” said Mark Grueber, Ford Bronco consumer marketing manager, in a statement. “Our team moved quickly to add Sasquatch with a manual transmission – another example of our focus on giving customers the best possible off-road vehicles and accessories that we can.”

Ford claims that this will make a Bronco so equipped the only 4×4 with a seven-speed manual and 35-inch tires, at least in its class. “Class” here is a bit fuzzy, in terms of what other vehicles are in it, but the Jeep Wrangler fits. An argument could be made for the base model of the new Land Rover Defender, too. Others would argue for the Toyota 4Runner.

The Sasquatch Package includes the 35-inch mud tires, 17-inch wheels, front and rear electronic locking axles from Dana, a 4.7:1 final-drive ratio, a higher-clearance suspension, a wider track (almost 2 inches), Bilstein shocks, and wider fender flares.

The package will be available on base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, and Badlands trims, and standard on Wildtrak and First Edition models.

“Capability is always a priority, and pairing Sasquatch with a manual transmission and available advanced 4×4 system gives it a maximum crawl ratio of 94.75:1, providing even more off-road capability across the line-up,” said Dave Pericak, Ford icons global director, in the same statement. An aside: We think Icons is a silly name for the Bronco and Mustang, but that is Pericak’s title, like it or not.

Ford is targeting availability in late 2021 for manual-transmission Broncos with the Sasquatch Package.

There’s another news nugget tucked into Ford’s press release – the consumer configurator, also known as the build and price tool, goes live in October. So if you’re curious what the MSRP would be for a Bronco built to your preferred trim and option spec will be, you’ll be able to find out soon. That’s useful whether you put down a reservation or just like to daydream.

If you’re planning on actually buying a Bronco, you’ll be able to print and save your information. Ordering is scheduled to begin in December, with sales beginning next spring.

[Image: Ford]