Forget the new Toyota Supra and Chevrolet's mid-engined Corvette, the next revived vehicle that has hopped on the hype train is the iconic Ford Bronco, which is set to go on sale in 2021.
Ford has been dropping hints about this SUV for a while now, but thanks to the Bronco R prototype being unveiled for the Baja 1000, we have our first glimpse at what the finished product will probably look like.
Finished in a livery that's designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Rod Hall's win at the Baja 1000, and will be driven by Rod's granddaughter Shelby Hall at the event this year.
It's anyone's guess as to which exterior design aspects will carry over from the prototype to the road-going vehicle, but we can safely assume that the LED-clad grille won't, but the 'B R O N C O' badge will.
Moving further back, slab-sided bodywork is visible, and a set of pronounced fender flares do their best to contain the huge wheels and tyres. This two-door prototype also features large rear 'windows' and an extremely flat roof.
According to Ford's release, the Bronco R prototype rides on a modified version of the Bronco's chassis, and features some hefty suspension components from Fox. This makes for 14 inches of travel up front, and 18 inches in the rear.
While Ford didn't make any mention of the Bronco's power plant, it has been reported that the 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 with 242kW and 542Nm is sitting under the hood. Again, it's not known as to whether this engine will make it into the road-going version, but it's highly likely.
"Even the twin turbos of the EcoBoost engine are representative of what the production Bronco will offer," said Ford Performance's off-road racing supervisor, Brian Novak.
We have our doubts about the Bronco making it down under, but considering that Chevrolet is bringing the C8 Corvette down here in right-hand drive, we have our hopes that Ford will follow suit.
