Ford USA - Ranger and Bronco Return?

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I'm amused by how in-depth they're going with the ride comparisons. I suppose that's their job but at this point I feel like most of the Bronco's potential buyers already know what it's going to be like. Many of them have already had modern trucks at some point - they only vary so much. The Bronco has effectively the same suspension setup as my old Sequoia which drives much better than you'd expect from a school bus, especially in comparison to a Wrangler. These guys must be used to sports cars - I'm sure the Bronco drives like a dream.
 
Why is this thread not chock full of new Bronco reviews and whatnot?

Anyway, here's The Straight Pipes road review, and a photo size comparison of the Sasquatch against a Raptor (it big).

Straight Pipes Bronco Review.png




Is it just me or are all the best car reviewers Canadian? What's that all aboot?

 
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2 Door, 4 Cylinder, Manual take courtesy of Savageese. Shame the 4-cylinder isn't more fun to drive on road. Maybe the lowest trim base model will be a little lighter on it's feet?




Yeah, I too have noticed the prominence of high quality Canadian automotive video journalism in the last couple years. I think Speed Academy is the best (ok, not really journalism there, but certainly automotive video), but TH & TSP are pretty good too. The fact that both came out of nowhere with high production quality makes me think there might be some astroturfing going on, but that's pure conjecture.
 
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I'm not a complete fan of the Straight Pipes. I feel like their reviews are quite surface level, at least in terms of driving. Their infotainment reviews are good. I watch their videos more for entertainment, because of their energy, rather than to actually learn anything. I really like Savage Geese's videos, especially the technical deep dives. It's all very interesting. The Smoking Tire and Carfection do a better job at talking about actual driving dynamics. I used to enjoy Motor Trend's reviews by Lieberman, Jason Cammisa, and Jethro Bovingdon but now that they've stuck it behind a paywall, I haven't watched their videos in years. I think Cammisa has been jumping around a lot of publications so it's hard to find his videos. I think he's writing for Road and Track and making videos for Hagerty at the moment.

But I feel like a lot of reviews these days (especially in the tech industry), are just people reading the press release with almost to no commentary on what's good and bad, or at least at a very surface level. Especially if it's like a press event where they have a day to drive the car and they call it a full fledged review when in reality it's a first impression in a controlled environment.

As with a lot of things these days, you should hear as many different opinions and point of views as possible to fully understand anything
 
Eunos_Cosmo
2 Door, 4 Cylinder, Manual take courtesy of Savageese. Shame the 4-cylinder isn't more fun to drive on road. Maybe the lowest trim base model will be a little lighter on it's feet?




Yeah, I too have noticed the prominence of high quality Canadian automotive video journalism in the last couple years. I think Speed Academy is the best (ok, not really journalism there, but certainly automotive video), but TH & TSP are pretty good too. The fact that both came out of nowhere with high production quality makes me think there might be some astroturfing going on, but that's pure conjecture.
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Speaking of this video, I remember starting it and then immediately going off to the configurator to see the price of that lovely saddle leather interior. Wow that looks nice.

But it doesn't exist. What gives?

As for the four-cylinder, a tune or two livens that Ecoboost up pretty well so I wouldn't worry about power. It's not supposed to be fast. It's probably quicker than my Sequoia and that's got plenty of power for me, for example. I would need a test drive but the savings to me would be worth getting the 2.3 and 10-speed.
 
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Keef
Speaking of this video, I remember starting it and then immediately going off to the configurator to see the price of that lovely saddle leather interior. Wow that looks nice.

But it doesn't exist. What gives?

As for the four-cylinder, a tune or two livens that Ecoboost up pretty well so I wouldn't worry about power. It's not supposed to be fast. It's probably quicker than my Sequoia and that's got plenty of power for me, for example. I would need a test drive but the savings to me would be worth getting the 2.3 and 10-speed.
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Thinking more about this, I'm actually curious to see how it (2.3 7M) feels. I think the Savageese guys are pretty jaded by all the high performance vehicles they drive. I'm definitely going to go test one out when they hit dealer lots. Like if it can match a Fiat 500 Abarth in terms of powerband feel, I would be more than happy. Hell, my brother's automatic Jeep Cherokee XJ is "fun to drive" in my opinion.

In fact I just ran the power to weight ratio of the base 2-door bronco and it exactly matches that of the Fiat 500 Abarth. I feel like that's quick enough. Of course anything that does 0-60 in less than 8 seconds feels totally adequate to me.

Edit: Apparently the 2.7TT Bronco does 0-60 in less than 6 seconds, and the 2.3 does it in around 6.5-7 seconds. That's plenty fast for an off roader! I can't believe they called it slow in that video....These kind of comments are how we end up with million-hp cars doing 8 second quarter miles instead of like SLA double wishbone suspension.
 
Eunos_Cosmo
Thinking more about this, I'm actually curious to see how it (2.3 7M) feels. I think the Savageese guys are pretty jaded by all the high performance vehicles they drive. I'm definitely going to go test one out when they hit dealer lots. Like if it can match a Fiat 500 Abarth in terms of powerband feel, I would be more than happy. Hell, my brother's automatic Jeep Cherokee XJ is "fun to drive" in my opinion.

In fact I just ran the power to weight ratio of the base 2-door bronco and it exactly matches that of the Fiat 500 Abarth. I feel like that's quick enough. Of course anything that does 0-60 in less than 8 seconds feels totally adequate to me.

Edit: Apparently the 2.7TT Bronco does 0-60 in less than 6 seconds, and the 2.3 does it in around 6.5-7 seconds. That's plenty fast for an off roader! I can't believe they called it slow in that video....These kind of comments are how we end up with million-hp cars doing 8 second quarter miles instead of like SLA double wishbone suspension.
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8 seconds sounds about right lol. My Sequoia is clearly the quickest car I’ve ever had below highway speed - those downshifts from 5 to 2 will give you whiplash. A modern 10 speed would surely improve the gearing situation.
 
Got invited to a small press event for New England journalists to go over the new full size Bronco. Anything you guys want me to ask the reps? Hoping to get a drive in one, even though it'd just be in a small tight city environment.
 
MedigoFlame
Got invited to a small press event for New England journalists to go over the new full size Bronco. Anything you guys want me to ask the reps? Hoping to get a drive in one, even though it'd just be in a small tight city environment.
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I'm actually very curious to know how the Bronco performs in a tight city environment. Is it very maneuverable, peppy from stop light to stop light etc.
 
Currently riding shotgun with the wife while she test drives a badlands edition in area 51. No hard top available for 2 years! Also 67k CDN.

Heres a little size comparison to my 4Runner


N1BKCrf.jpg


Edit: My 2c after taking it for a spin

It’s nice but no hard top until 2023 is an absolute deal breaker. She most likely would have bought it, massive **** up by Ford.

It feels better than her Wrangler in literally every way, but my 4Runner feels more comfortable to sit in and rides nicer, especially at low speeds on bumpy streets. This Bronco vibrated a lot on bumps, especially in the rear end. The steering felt about the same but the pedals felt better on the Bronco. The 4Runner pedals are kind of touchy.

$71,894 was the total price.

The one positive we got today was the fact that her 16’ Wrangler unlimited keeps going up in value compared to just a few months ago. They offered her 38k for it, it was 56 when new.

bonus pic

oaEZ9Iz.jpg
 
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Is it just me or do these C-shaped running lights slightly evoke the chrome headlight surrounds of old trucks like 60s and 70s F-series?
 
I'm not really sure how I feel about the Bronco "Raptor" idea. I kinda was hoping it would be a crawling-focused model. Instead we got something that's just as big as an F-150 Raptor and does the same thing? Not really sure what the purpose is.

Also that spare tire on the tailgate is massive :lol:
 
Keef
I'm not really sure how I feel about the Bronco "Raptor" idea. I kinda was hoping it would be a crawling-focused model. Instead we got something that's just as big as an F-150 Raptor and does the same thing? Not really sure what the purpose is.
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The purpose is obvious:

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And they will sell tons of them to the Raptor-bros who want to brag about their new toy's off roading capability, which was summarily ruined by a poorly installed lift kit and oversized, overpriced "mudding" tires that have a suspiciously pavement-oriented tread pattern. Not that it'll ever go farther off road than the grass median at the Planet Fitness parking lot, of course.
 
EngieDiesel
The purpose is obvious:

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And they will sell tons of them to the Raptor-bros who want to brag about their new toy's off roading capability, which was summarily ruined by a poorly installed lift kit and oversized, overpriced "mudding" tires that have a suspiciously pavement-oriented tread pattern. Not that it'll ever go farther off road than the grass median at the Planet Fitness parking lot, of course.
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But how else are they gonna show off that prime "big PP" energy?
 
Is there a reason the new Ranger wasn't posted in the Ranger thread yet? The facelift debuted two freakin months ago.

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I assume this is the Australian/international version of the truck with the weird bedrail cladding and gnarly side steps [edit: and the right-hand drive of course]. Australians have the weirdest taste is pickup truck design lol. I also expect that the front bumper will be totally different for the US truck. Maybe now that they've cut out all the cost of designing and manufacturing physical buttons, they can refocus some of that interior development money into quality materials.
 
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You ain't kiddin'. When I first arrived here, I was like what in the hell is up with that body?
Mitsubishi Triton
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Apparently Ford cannot decide whether it prefers a large horizontal screen vs a large vertical screen. Either way, the screen ought to take up the majority of the dashboard, which is a worrying trend lately.
 


www.motor1.com

2022 Ford Bronco Raptor Debuts To Dominate Deserts With Over 400 HP

The 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor is revealed with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6. It has 13.1 inches of ground clearance and is 9.8 inches wider.
www.motor1.com www.motor1.com

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Bronco Raptor gets a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 making at least 400 horsepower (298 kilowatts). Final figures for power and torque haven't been established yet, but this engine already churns out 400 hp and 415 pound-feet (563 Newton-meters) of torque in the Explorer ST. Ford says the engine will have a specific tune for the Raptor and breathe through an upgraded induction system with enhanced intercooling and a true-dual multi-mode exhaust system.

The only transmission offered is the 10-speed automatic that can be paddle-shifted should drivers desire a bit more involvement. Power is routed through larger driveshafts front and rear, connecting to upgraded Dana axles shared with the decidedly not street-legal Bronco DR racing SUV. The 4x4 system features an upgraded transfer case, a higher capacity clutch, and the Baja Mode is tweaked to include, among other things, an anti-lag system. Bronco Raptor also gets a tow/haul mode with a maximum towing capacity of 4,500 pounds.

More power is always nice, but the real news comes with prolific suspension upgrades that draw from the hardcore Ultra4 Racing series. The aforementioned axles are part of that, but it continues with an upgraded High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension (HOSS) system that adds Fox semi-active dampers similar to those on the F-150 Raptor. Sensors monitor suspension height and terrain conditions to adjust damper settings on the fly; it all connects to a reinforced frame with stiffer shock towers up top and front/rear control arms developed by Ford Performance down low.

As a result, the Bronco Raptor has 13.0 inches of suspension travel in the front and 14.0 inches at the rear, an increase of 60 percent forward / 40 percent aft versus a base model Bronco. The stance is 8.6-inches wider, and with extra frame support coming from reinforced B- and C-pillars, the Raptor has 50 percent more torsional rigidity. Minimum ground clearance is up to 13.1 inches, and should drivers use every inch of it, skid plates underneath cover all vital components.

Two types of 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels are offered, wrapped in 37-inch BFGoodrich K02 tires that Ford says are the largest ever offered on a factory-stock SUV in the States. An upgraded electric steering rack and tie rods help handle the beefy rubber, and with the massive fender flares in place, the Bronco Raptor is a full 9.8 inches wider than a standard model.

The 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor starts at $69,995, and that includes a $1,495 destination charge.
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That's a really good way to make the F-150 Raptor completely pointless. Sure the Ranger is smaller, but it'll likely be faster and better offroad. Although that anti-lag system seems like it would be really hard on the turbos after some time.
 

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