Ford is not delivering its popular Bronco SUV to customers until next spring, but that’s not stopping Ford from making final adjustments and upgrades to the model. The company is very serious about this effort, and has even sent Bronco prototypes to the demanding 22 mile Rubicon Trail.
A good rock crawling session can make or break an off-road focused SUV, and in a video that was released by Bronco6G.com, we get to see a couple of prototypes show their stuff on the trail. Both two and four door models are present in the video, with all of them in Badlands trim. The testers involved took a brutal beating, with visible damage all over the exterior, as well as the rock rails.
The video is also interesting because this’s the first time that we have seen the seven speed manual transmission in action out on the trail. The seven speed has a dedicated crawler gear which is supposed to help the Bronco navigate the rocks much easier. The manual is not available on models with the Sasquatch package, but Bronco enthusiasts have actually started a petition in a bold attempt to make Ford change its mind on that particular issue. On that note, none of the testers featured actually had the Sasquatch package equipped, with the testers appearing to have 33-inch tires instead of the 35-inch rubber normally associated with that particular package.
While it’s highly unlikely that Bronco buyers will immediately make a beeline to the Rubicon Trail with their new Broncos after buying them, footage like this serves as a very vivid reminder that the Bronco is indeed capable of tackling even the roughest of terrain when asked to do so. That’s key especially with the battle lines laid down by the Bronco and the Jeep Wrangler.
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