Bronco Raptor's New Black Appearance Package Debuts, Overshadows a Total Solar Eclipse

FORD CANADA - Under dramatically darkened skies, and in front of owners at the Bronco Off-Roadeo Texas, Ford introduced the 2024 Bronco Raptor Black Appearance Package. A mix of Shadow and Matte black exterior features, the new option package gives the Bronco Raptor’s go-over-any-terrain capability a sinister new look.

The Black Appearance Package comes with a striking Shadow Black painted roof complemented by matching mirror caps, a painted roll bar, and fender flares, all in the same shade, to create striking contrasts with the Raptor’s bold paint catalog. Bronco Raptor also comes with a Matte Black steel bumper, skid plate, and tow hooks. 

 

The Shadow Black painted roll bar is reminiscent of the contrasting roll bar on the sixth-generation concept Bronco SUVs and the painted skid plate comes in response to current Bronco Raptor customers who have painted the skid plates themselves.

 

Unique Raptor body-side and hood decals round out the package’s C$6,995 MSRP, which customers can order at a dealer soon. 

 

“Customers choose Bronco Raptor for two reasons: its high-performance off-road capability and its distinctive appearance,” said Bronco Brand Manager Jason Hyde. “The Black Appearance gives them a look that stands out on any trail and under any sky, even a total solar eclipse.” 

 

Bronco owners will get the first look at the Bronco Raptor Black Appearance Package during an owner-exclusive event at Bronco off-Roadeo in Austin, Texas, at an appropriately dark time: under the backdrop of the April 8 total solar eclipse.

 

The Black Appearance Package follows the vibrant Code Orange package introduced in 2023. 

2024 Ford Bronco Sport Free Wheeling Adds Modern Take On Bronco Heritage, Plus New Black Appearance Package

2024 Ford Bronco Sport Free Wheeling

FORD CANADA - It’s time (once again) to get into the free-wheelin’ spirit with the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport Free Wheeling special edition, a new addition to the Bronco Sport family inspired by the Ford Free Wheeling trucks, vans and Broncos of the 1970s.

Ordering opens today for the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport Free Wheeling special edition, along with a new Black Appearance package for Bronco Sport Big Bend that adds dark, moody styling elements inside and out.

 

Bronco® Sport Free Wheeling™ Special Edition

In the late 1970s, Ford introduced the Free Wheeling package on F-100, F-150, Bronco, Econoline van, and more. The limited-run trim level featured graphics with red, orange and yellow gradients. The colorful option packs also added painted steel wheels, and black finishes on the grilles, mirrors, and bumpers. Inside the vehicle featured red and orange pinstriping on the dash and seat stitching. 

 

“Bronco customers appreciate its heritage,” said Jason Hyde, Bronco Sport Marketing Manager. “After such a great response to the reimagined Bronco Sport Free Wheeling project vehicle in 2021, we decided to bring this special edition that ties Bronco Sport to its fun loving roots.”

 

The red, orange, and yellow sunset-inspired stripes became a focal point of the 1970s package.

 

“The Ford Free Wheeling package was developed to appeal to younger customers,” said Ted Ryan, Archives and Heritage Brand Manager for Ford. “The Free Wheeling Broncos were as popular as they were distinctive.”

 

Like the originals, the 2024 Bronco Sport Free Wheeling special edition features reflective red, orange, yellow and silver graphics on the body sides, liftgate, and hood.

 

Bronco Sport Free Wheeling special edition also adds a silver-painted grille with two-tone Bronco badging and a modified lower front end insert. Rounding out the exterior changes are a Shadow Black roof and 17-inch high-gloss black wheels with red accents.

 

The interior’s Black Onyx and Dark Space Grey finish includes sunset-colored seat inserts and ombre stitching. The door trim will add a Race Red C Channel and ombre stitching. 

 

The Bronco Sport Free Wheeling special edition also includes all Big Bend standard equipment and drivetrain.

 

Black Appearance Package 

From sunset to the stars, taking inspiration from the dark night skies in remote places is the 2024 Bronco Sport Black Appearance Package which includes a Carbon Black grille and two-tone Bronco lettering.

 

The Black Appearance Package also includes Matte Black 17-inch wheels, Matte Black hood graphics and a Shadow Black painted roof.  Black accent trim badges and a Smoked Chrome Ford Oval will tie the exterior look together. Inside, the Bronco Sport features Sport Contour seats, and a modified air bag cover with a black bucking Bronco badge. This package is only available on Big Bend models.

 

“Bronco Sport customers have been asking for the stylish black finishes available on the F-150, Maverick, and Mustang, and we're delivering with the new Black Appearance Package,” said Hyde. “It also builds on the night sky gauge cluster graphics that Bronco Sport customers see that plays a startup screen featuring the Milky Way.”

 

Bronco Sport will also be available in Azure Grey and Desert Sand for 2024. These two exterior colours are not available on Bronco Sport Free Wheeling or Heritage models.

Ford Celebrates Original 1966 Bronco with New Bronco and Bronco Sport Heritage Editions

2023 Ford Bronco Heritage Edition

FORD CANADA - Bronco^® brand is taking trail riders to their off-road roots with the introduction of the 2023 Bronco and Bronco Sport^™ Heritage and Heritage Limited editions.

The special-edition models will be available across the Bronco family lineup, including Bronco two-door, Bronco four-door and Bronco Sport SUVs. Ford will build just 1,966 units of each Heritage Limited Edition model in the U.S. to commemorate the year the original Bronco debuted.

“Bronco captivated America in the mid-’60s with its rugged style and uncompromising off-road agility, a legacy that is still prevalent today,” said Mark Grueber, Bronco marketing manager. “With these new Heritage and Heritage Limited editions, we’re paying respect to Bronco’s roots with nods to some of the signature design cues from the first-generation vehicle, while continuing to build the Bronco Brand with more special editions that our customers want.”

The 2023 Bronco Sport Heritage and Heritage Limited edition models are available to order for all customers now. Bronco two- and four-door models will go on sale later this year.

1960s Bronco styling meets modern capability

Bronco two- and four-door Heritage models are highlighted by a two-tone paint job that includes signature Oxford White accents including the modular hardtop roof. A unique Oxford White grille features Race Red “FORD” lettering, while 17-inch aluminum heritage wheels painted in Oxford White and a bodyside stripe dial up the throwback looks.

The 1960s era-inspired squared fenders with Sasquatch-width fender flares provide a visual callback and cover the nearly two-inch wider track. A powder-coated steel capable front bumper with built-in recovery points and integrated fog lamps is standard. 

Heritage Limited models add gloss black-painted 17-inch heritage wheels with classic “dog dish” centres, plus an Oxford White-painted lip for more retro flare.

Inside, Bronco Heritage Edition units feature plaid cloth seats and exclusive touches such as an Oxford White instrument panel, centre console badging and exclusive front and rear floor liners.

Heritage Edition models come standard with Big Bend^® series equipment and features, including a 2.3-litre EcoBoost^® engine with 7-speed manual or available 10-speed SelectShift^™ automatic transmission. The engine delivers up to 300 horsepower and 325 lb.-ft. torque*. The Sasquatch^® Package with a High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension (H.O.S.S.) 2.0 system with long-travel Bilstein^® position-sensitive dampers with end-stop control valves and increased ride height is standard, as are 35-inch Goodyear^® mud-terrain tires and Dana^™ front and rear electronic locking axles with 4.7:1 final drive ratio.

Bronco Heritage Edition is available in five paint options, while Bronco Heritage Limited Edition is exclusively available at launch in Robin’s Egg Blue, which is a throwback colour based on Arcadian Blue, available on the original Bronco in 1966. The colour Yellowstone Metallic, which is based on the 1971 Ford colour Prairie Yellow, is planned for late 2023 model year availability. Peak Blue is planned for the 2024 model year.

Heritage Limited Edition models offer the increased capability of Badlands^™ series equipment and features, including a 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6 engine with up to 330 horsepower and 415 lb.-ft. torque* mated to the 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. They are also differentiated with features that include metal “Bronco” script fender badging, leather-trimmed/vinyl plaid seats with white and Race Red accent stitching and unique Heritage Limited console badging. 

Bronco Sport wears the brand legacy proudly

Though not part of the Bronco family in the 1960s, Bronco Sport gives customers a chance to enjoy the brand’s heritage with exclusive Heritage and Heritage Limited Edition styling.

“Bronco Sport has been a hit with compact SUV customers since it arrived two years ago, but it is just as important that we give our customers special editions similar to what we have done with the two- and four-door Bronco,” Grueber said. “These Heritage Editions are every bit as important to Sport as they are for the rest of the Bronco Brand and we think the iconic themes from the ‘60’s work perfectly on this vehicle.”

All models feature signature Oxford White accents including a uniquely painted roof to mimic the original Bronco style. A unique Oxford White heritage grille features Race Red “BRONCO” lettering, while Oxford White 17-inch aluminum heritage wheels and bodyside stripes heighten the throwback appearance.

Both versions include interior touches such as plaid cloth seats and a Navy Pier instrument panel with Oxford White accenting the bin and door ring. Cloth seats feature heathered Navy Pier with plaid inserts and Race Red and Robin’s Egg Blue accent stitching. A unique Navy Pier microsuede centre console and armrests include Race Red stitching. The Bronco Sport MOLLE strap storage system on the front-row seatbacks includes Navy Pier straps and Race Red zipper grips. The Navy Pier colour was inspired by the cloth seats that were available in Bronco in the 1980’s.

Like the full-size Bronco SUVs, the 2023 Bronco Sport Heritage Edition is built on the Big Bend series, with the proven 1.5-litre EcoBoost engine that puts out 181 horsepower and 190 lb.-ft. of torque*.

The vehicles feature a H.O.S.S. system with increased ride height, uniquely tuned front struts with hydraulic rebound stops designed to provide a quiet, less jarring off-road experience. In addition, 46-millimeter-diameter monotube rear shocks, antiroll bars and uniquely tuned springs help provide off-road comfort.

The Terrain Management System^™ offers five G.O.A.T. Modes^™ because Bronco “Goes Over Any Type of Terrain” and in various conditions. Standard modes include Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Sand.

Bronco Sport Heritage Edition is available in seven paint options including Robin’s Egg Blue, while Heritage Limited Edition is exclusively available in Robin’s Egg Blue, Yellowstone Metallic and Peak Blue.

Heritage Limited Edition models add metal “Bronco” script front fender badging and larger 29-inch all-terrain off-road tires with more aggressive, deeper treads that stretch on to the sidewalls for improved off-road traction. Heritage Limited Edition models also upgrade to leather-trimmed seats and include Oxford White door inserts and unique centre console badging.

They are powered by increased performance and off-road capability of the Badlands series, including the more powerful 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine with up to 250 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque* for high-speed off-road performance.

An advanced 4x4 system with a twin-clutch rear-drive unit with a differential lock can divert virtually all rear axle torque to either wheel, and the G.O.A.T. Modes system increases to seven modes, adding Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl.

For more information on the Bronco and Bronco Sport Heritage and Heritage Limited editions, please visit www.ford.ca.

*Horsepower and torque ratings based on premium fuel per SAE J1349^® standards. Your results may vary. Horsepower and torque are independent attributes and may not be achieved simultaneously.

 

Special-Edition Ford Bronco Everglades Engineered and Outfitted to Take on Extreme Adventures with Confidence

FORD CANADA - For off-roaders looking to go further off the grid, Ford is debuting the new 2022 Ford Bronco^® Everglades^™ special edition – an SUV born to breathe when the air gets thick and designed to press on when the trail turns others around.

For decades, Bronco SUVs have traversed remote locations with G.O.A.T. – Goes Over Any Type of Terrain – mentality. Bronco Everglades, available as a four-door model, takes that spirit to the next level with confidence-building, factory-installed features such as a snorkel, integrated front bumper-mounted winch**, and all the off-road equipment in the Bronco Sasquatch^™ Package.

“Bronco customers like to explore new places, but some want to go even further off the trail than others,” said Jolanta Coffey, Bronco chief engineer. “Everglades is specially equipped to enable these customers to tackle even more challenging terrains and trails – and with the front bumper-mounted winch, they can help others out of trouble while they’re at it.”

Bronco Everglades packed with rugged off-road hardware

Bronco Everglades introduces a class-exclusive* signature snorkel. Designed and engineered by Ford, the snorkel – which runs up the passenger-side A-pillar – optimizes vehicle performance in dust, snow and water by raising the engine air intake above nasty trail conditions. Its design uses two easy-to-swap plates to change the direction of the inlet based on trail and weather conditions.

“Bronco enthusiasts demand style as well as performance, so we challenged ourselves to create a snorkel with high-end function and a look that really suits the vehicle,” said Ryan Olsson, design manager. “What really sets the Everglades snorkel apart is the head and reversible intake. It completely changes the way a snorkel can look and function.”

Front and rear axles, transfer case and transmission also offer raised vents for improved water fording. Combined, these design changes lead to water fording capability of 36.4 inches.

For situations when Bronco Everglades or another vehicle needs extra traction beyond what the tires and engine can provide, a heavy-duty modular front bumper by Ford Performance with ZEON 10-S WARN^® winch – featuring 10,000-pound capability^† and a 100-foot synthetic line – is ready to help. Everglades also comes standard with a protective safari bar, rock rails and the same steel bash plates found on Black Diamond^™ and Badlands^™ Bronco models. A unique Carbonized Gray grille with gloss black Bronco lettering enhances its functional appearance.

The Sasquatch Package features 17-inch Carbonized Gray-painted alloy wheels with 35-inch Goodyear mud-terrain tires. Additional exterior appointments include rock rails to protect the lower sills, plus a molded-in-colour hardtop and roof rack with crossbars.

Squared wheel arches for a unique Bronco look

The Bronco design team took advantage of the SUV’s patented off-road modular design in creating the Everglades edition, further underscoring how this user-friendly platform can be stripped to its base structure and reconfigured for another new adventure with a different body setup. The vehicle features unique squared front and rear wheel arches with matching Sasquatch-width fender flares.

Unique graphics with Everglades topography deliver style on the front quarter fenders, cleverly paying homage to the tropical wetlands that inspire the vehicle’s name.

Bronco Everglades is easy to clean after a weekend on the trails with standard marine-grade vinyl seats and rubberized washout flooring. New Urban Green accents provide a subtle color touch on grab handles, air register vents and seat stitching.

In addition to mid-package content, Bronco Everglades features a class-exclusive 12-inch SYNC^® 4 system with Ford Power-Up over-the-air software updates – a unique combination based on customer feedback. Its 2.3-litre EcoBoost^® delivers 300 horsepower and 325 lb.-ft. of torque^†, the most torque from a four-cylinder gas engine in its class, and is paired to a class-exclusive SelectShift^® 10-speed automatic transmission with advanced 4x4 system and a maximum 67.8:1 crawl ratio.

The new 2022 Bronco Everglades is available in five exterior colours, including Everglades-exclusive low-volume Desert Sand, plus Eruption Green, Area 51, Shadow Black and Cactus Grey.

Bronco Everglades will join the Bronco lineup of Built Wild^™ 4x4 SUVs this summer. Ordering begins in March.

*Class is Medium Traditional Utility.

**Available Ford Accessories

^†See Bronco owner’s manual for important operating information.

^††Horsepower and torque ratings based on premium fuel per SAE J1349(r) standard. Your results may vary.

Desert-Racing, Rock-Crawling 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor Debuts as Most Powerful Street-Legal Bronco Ever

FORD CANADA - Two icons that have tackled off-road terrain for years are coming together to take on even more: Bronco^® and Raptor^™. Built for desert running and boulder crawling, the all-new 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor gives off-roaders next-level performance.

Bronco Raptor, the newest member of the Bronco outdoor brand of Built Wild^™ SUVs, debuts today as the most powerful street-legal Bronco ever, and the world’s first Ultra4 Racing-inspired SUV. Ford Performance, the same team that produces the F-150 Raptor, designed and engineered Bronco Raptor as a calling to hardcore off-road enthusiasts.

Bronco Raptor is equipped with elite off-road technology and hardware. Ultra4 Racing is the epitome of grueling off-road competition, featuring demanding races such as the famed King of the Hammers in the Johnson Valley in California, where Bronco Raptor will be on display on Feb. 3. Ford and Bronco will continue as the official truck and SUV of the Ultra4 series.

With the addition of Bronco Raptor, Ford once again expands its Raptor high-performance off-road vehicle franchise, which also includes F-150 Raptor for North America and Ranger Raptor for global markets.

“Raptor is the apex of our off-road lineup and is now a full lineup with race proven content and design that you can’t get from anyone else,” said Jim Farley, chief executive officer, Ford Motor Company. “Only Ford could create a Bronco Raptor.”

Beyond the Raptor family, Ford offers an unmatched variety of additional on- and off-road high-performance and specialty performance vehicles, from Mustang Shelby GT500, the pinnacle of Mustang street performance, to the ST lineup of cars and SUVs, to the Tremor family of F-Series and Ranger tough and work-capable off-road trucks.

Ford Performance unleashes extreme Built Wild capability and durability 

To build the world’s first Ultra4-inspired SUV, Ford Performance set the bar high. Bronco Raptor had to be even faster and bring more off-road capability, agility and maneuverability than Bronco already delivers.

“We had to build the Bronco Raptor – it’s our ultimate vehicle for hardcore off-road enthusiasts who demand something more,” said Carl Widmann, Ford Performance chief engineer. “Like the Ultra4 desert race trucks, the ‘Raptor of SUVs’ conquers desert dunes at highway speeds and is equipped with competition-level off-road technology and hardware.”

Starting with the Bronco frame foundation, the Ford Performance team knew it needed a Raptor-specific version for increased suspension travel and track width for handling stability during high-speed desert runs. At the Raptor core is a fully boxed, high-strength steel frame with new shock towers that increase wheel travel and off-road durability. Heavy-duty bash and skid plates provide continuous driveline coverage from the front bumper to the back of the engine, transmission and transfer case. In the upper body, B-pillar cross bar and C-pillar reinforcement help deliver a greater than 50% total body-in-prime torsional rigidity increase over a standard Bronco four-door model.

Competition-level, Ford Performance-developed axles, also used on the Bronco DR race truck, further deliver on the Ultra4-inspiration. The solid rear axle is upgraded to a semi-float Dana 50^™ Heavy-Duty AdvanTEK^® with 235-millimeter ring gear, while the Dana 44^™ AdvanTEK front-drive unit includes upgraded half-shafts with 210-millimeter ring gear. These upgraded front and rear axles increase the track width by 8.6 inches (73.6 inches versus 65.0 inches) over a base Bronco for even more sure-footed confidence. Larger front and rear driveshafts support increased wheel torque. Bronco Raptor also runs with a minimum ground clearance of 13.1 inches, 4.8 inches more than a base four-door model.

An advanced 4x4 system with three modes includes a higher-capacity clutch designed to withstand the demands of high-performance desert events. The upgraded transfer case also features a 3.06 4x4 LO ratio for up to 67.7:1 crawl ratio.

The Ford Performance team collaborated with FOX^™ to upgrade the High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension (HOSS) system with Live Valve technology. Similar to the F-150 Raptor truck’s position-sensitive damping design, the Raptor HOSS 4.0 system features FOX 3.1 Internal Bypass Semi-Active Dampers (3.1-inch diameter) that are uniquely tuned at the front and rear and feature integrated reservoirs up front and remote reservoirs in rear. Suspension height sensors and other sensors at each corner monitor terrain conditions independently hundreds of times every second and adjust suspension tuning accordingly.

Unique Ford Performance-designed front and rear control arms help deliver maximum wheel travel of 13.0 inches in front and 14.0 inches at the rear, or 60% and 40% more, respectively, than a Bronco base model. To deliver the confidence and high-speed needs of the world’s first Ultra4-inspired SUV, the Ford Performance team reached out to BFGoodrich for standard 37-inch KO2 all-terrain tires (37x12.50R17LT), the largest of any production SUV in America**. Two Ford Performance-designed 17-inch x 8.5-inch beadlock-capable wheels are available. An electric-power steering rack and housing influenced by F-150 Raptor, as well as larger-diameter inner and outer tie rod ends, were added to further upgrade Bronco Raptor.

To give Bronco Raptor even more desert-running power, the Ford powertrain team developed the proven twin-turbo 3.0-litre EcoBoost^® engine with specific Raptor-level tuning to meet Ford Performance standards. With a target of more than 400 horsepower*, Bronco Raptor will be the most powerful street-legal Bronco ever, with intercooling and air-induction systems designed to endure the higher ambient desert temperatures.

For higher-speed desert capabilities or crawling over rocks, the compacted graphite iron-block engine, which saves weight while providing strength for added durability, is paired with a 10-speed SelectShift^™ automatic transmission tuned to meet Ford Performance standards. A true dual-exhaust system, featuring first-for-Bronco active-valve technology, uses near-equal-length pipes for an improved exhaust note. The system allows drivers to alter the sound of their Bronco Raptor with four selectable exhaust modes, including Normal, Sport, Quiet and Baja.

Bronco Raptor builds on the brand’s exclusive G.O.A.T. Modes^™ (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) Terrain Management System^™ designed to help drivers better navigate off-road. Seven driver-selectable modes include a uniquely tuned Baja Mode that activates a turbo anti-lag calibration to maximize performance over high-speed desert runs. New to Bronco is Tow/Haul mode, which helps enable a tow rating of 4,500 pounds, a 1,000-pound improvement over the base model. Trail Control, Trail Turn Assist and Trail One-Pedal Driving are also included.

Raptor styling with extreme Built Wild innovative design

The first-ever Bronco Raptor delivers purpose-built design, infusing Raptor-family signature cues with the truck’s Built Wild innovative design.

“As the most badass Bronco yet, the Bronco Raptor design is extreme,” said Paul Wraith, Bronco design chief. “It’s muscular, while maintaining an underlying simplicity with performance-focused details added only for outstanding high-speed capability.”

Familiar Ford block lettering at the front stretches across the signature two-piece rectangular grille. Model-specific LED headlights featuring amber daytime running lamps and integrated amber marker lamps further tie in the DNA of Raptor to provide a menacing look. A heavy-duty modular steel front bumper by Ford Performance features tow hooks, removable bumper end caps for improved off-road clearance, integrated removable Rigid LED fog lamps and Rigid off-road lamps for greater illumination.

The hood on Bronco Raptor is made of sheet-molding compound, offering the design team the ability to dramatically sculpt its muscular shape. An integrated hood vent is molded-in-color Carbon Black and fender vents are painted body color. Raptor logos on the left and right of the hood bulge hint at the twin-turbo power underneath. 

Bronco Raptor proudly leverages the Bronco SUV’s patented off-road modular design, stripped it to its base, and replaced components with unique-to-Raptor front and rear quarter-panels, fenders, fender flares and door appliques. Sheet-molding compound is once again used to sculpt the wider front fenders and integrated bodyside heat extraction ducts, which provide additional engine cooling. Sheet-molding compound rear-quarter panels are equally bolstered for a muscular look. Together with fender flares, Bronco Raptor sits 9.8 inches wider than a standard Bronco. Bronco Raptor-specific reinforced rock rails with removable running boards increase rock crawling capability.

For even more Raptor-styling DNA, an available Bronco Raptor Graphics Package includes new splatter graphics on the rear bodysides and hood that use an overlapping broken trapezoidal pattern and floating shapes to present a sophisticated digital appearance. Exterior colors include Hot Pepper Red Metallic, Velocity Blue Metallic, Eruption Green Metallic, Shadow Black, Iconic Silver Metallic, Area 51, Cactus Gray, Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-Coat, Oxford White, plus Ford Performance-exclusive Code Orange paint.

Race-focused with a performance-optimized interior

Bronco Raptor features a familiar heritage-inspired horizontal dash, integrating an all-digital 12-inch cluster. The cluster allows drivers to select from various views, including a Bronco Raptor-exclusive Performance View that emphasizes tachometer and gear readings and allows the customization of gauges.

“The Bronco Raptor interior was designed around what we know hardcore off-road racers want in a vehicle,” said Ryan Olsson, design manager. “From the all-new Performance View on the cluster and unique steering wheel with paddle shifters and fingertip access to Raptor-specific controls, to its race-ready, high-bolster front seats, Bronco Raptor leaves the factory ready for the starting line.”

Base Bronco Raptor models are equipped with Black Onyx marine-grade vinyl seats and rubberized washout flooring. The dark interior is accented with Ford Performance Code Orange splashes on the G.O.A.T. Modes rotary dial, dash vents, door netting, steering wheel stitching and Bronco logo on the instrument panel. Even the push-button ignition lights up in Code Orange. Touchpoints such as the grab handles, steering wheel bezel and gear shifter wear low-gloss carbon fiber accents.

Owners can opt for upgraded features such as all-new laser-perforated Black Onyx Neo suede seats, vinyl-wrapped instrument panel topper, leather-wrapped outer seat bolsters and carpet flooring. A thicker and sport-contoured steering wheel with magnesium paddle shifters and gloss black Raptor logo center continues the Ford Performance treatment. Ford Performance-designed front seats are unique to Bronco Raptor, designed with aggressive foam side bolsters to help keep passengers firmly seated when the terrain gets nasty. Available Code Orange seat belts provide even more Ford Performance style.

Bronco Raptor comes standard with a High Package that includes SYNC^®4 with 12-inch touchscreen with swipe capability, information on-demand panel and enhanced voice recognition. Other technology features include an exterior camera with 360-degree viewing capability. The Lux Package is available for customers looking for even more human-centered technology, such as an available 10-speaker B&O audio system and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Customers can begin placing orders in March. Vehicles will begin to arrive this summer.

*Horsepower rating based on premium fuel per SAE J1349® standard. Your results may vary.

**Assembled in the USA with domestic and foreign parts.

 

Hot With Customers, the All-New Ford Bronco and Maverick Earn North American Utility and Truck of the Year Honors

2022 Ford Maverick

FORD MOTOR COMPANY - The all-new 2022 Ford Bronco has taken home the 2022 North American Utility of the Year award and the all-new 2022 Ford Maverick received the 2022 North American Truck of the Year award.

This marks the second year in a row a Ford vehicle has earned recognition from North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year™ jurors, following last year’s top honors for F-150 and Mustang Mach-E.

 

“We’re thrilled and honored to earn both Truck and Utility of the Year from the NACTOY jury for the Ford Maverick and Bronco, especially among such a strong field of competitors,” said Kumar Galhotra, president, Americas and International Markets Group. “But we’re also proud because these awards are well-deserved recognition for the tremendous amount of work, focus and energy our teams have invested in designing and engineering exciting vehicles for our customers. This also reflects the overwhelming reception we’ve had from our Maverick and Bronco customers alike.”

 

North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year awards are bestowed by a broad and distinguished panel of 50 jurors, recognizing the most outstanding new vehicles of the year – those that define or redefine their segments with superlative attention to innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and overall value.

 

As the flagship model of the Ford outdoor brand of 4x4-exclusive Built Wild vehicles, the 2022 Ford Bronco offers thrilling off-road experiences with heritage-inspired style, rugged engineering and smart off-road technology. The formula and product are hitting the mark with customers, with Bronco turning on dealer lots in just seven days on average.

 

Reinventing the modern compact pickup for truck customers who never knew they needed a truck, the all-new and affordable Ford Maverick is the first standard full-hybrid pickup in America and the most fuel-efficient truck on the market with an EPA-estimated rating of 42 mpg in the city*. Its compact size makes it easy to maneuver and park, there’s room for five adults and plenty of storage, with payload and towing capability to accommodate a huge range of needs. Maverick is turning on dealer lots in just four days on average.

 

Both Bronco and Maverick are designed to enable the adventures and needs of their owners, from scaling trails to helping a friend move a couch. These new vehicles are just what customers have asked for and that’s reaffirmed by the honors each has earned to date:

 

Ford Bronco

• SEMA – 2021 4x4 of the Year Award
• Motor1 – Best Adventure Vehicle
• Top Gear – 2021 American Car of the Year
• Forbes – 2022 Forbes Wheels of the Year
• North State Journal – Best of the Year
• Gear Patrol – GP100 Awards, 2022 Best in Motoring
• CarBuzz – 2021 Off-Road Warrior Award
• iF Design Gold Award 2021
• North American Utility of the Year – 2022 Finalist
• Autotrader.ca – 2022 Best Vehicle for Adventure
• The Detroit News – Readers’ Choice Awards, Baddest Off-Road Vehicle
• The Detroit News – Readers’ Choice Awards, Best Family Fun Finder

 

Ford Maverick

• KBB Best Buy Awards – 2022 Best New Model and Best Compact Pickup
• The Car Connection – 2022 Best Car to Buy
• Forbes Wheels – 2022 Pickup of the Year
• Popular Science – 2022 Best of What’s New
• Detroit Free Press – 2022 Truck of the Year
• The Detroit News – 2021 Vehicle of the Year
• CarBuzz – People’s Car Award
• Green Car Journal – 2022 Green Truck of the Year
• Gear Patrol’s GP100 Awards – Best in Motoring
• North State Journal – Best of the Year
• TFLTruck – 2022 Best Truck of the Year

* EPA-estimated 42 city/33 hwy/37 combined mpg. Actual mileage will vary.

Ford Bronco Sport Becomes First Vehicle to Feature Parts Made of 100% Recycled Ocean Plastic

FORD CANADA - Consumer products made from recycled ocean plastics include everything from sunglasses and T-shirts to running shoes and yarn. Now, Ford is adding to its legacy as a leader in sustainability and is the first automaker to use 100% recycled ocean plastics to produce automotive parts.

Wiring harness clips in Ford Bronco^™ Sport models are made of ocean-harvested plastic – commonly referred to as “ghost gear.” The strength and durability of the nylon material equals that of previously used petroleum-based parts but with a 10% cost savings and requiring less energy to produce. The small parts represent a large first step in the company’s plans to produce other parts of recycled ocean plastics on other models.

“This is another example of Ford leading the charge on sustainability,” said Jim Buczkowski, vice president of research and Henry Ford technical fellow. “It is a strong example of circular economy, and while these clips are small, they are an important first step in our explorations to use recycled ocean plastics for additional parts in the future.”

Up to 13 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year, threatening marine life and polluting shorelines, according to Pew Charitable Trusts, a global nongovernmental organization. Much of that is attributed to the fishing industry, which has come to rely on plastic fishing nets and other equipment because of the durability, light weight, buoyancy and low cost of the material. Those same qualities contribute to creating ghost nets, a fatal and growing threat to marine life. Ghost gear comprises nearly 10% of all sea-based plastic waste, entangling fish, sharks, dolphins, seals, sea turtles and birds.

Invisible to vehicle occupants, the Bronco Sport’s wiring harness clips, which weigh about five grams, fasten to the sides of the Bronco Sport second-row seats and guide wires that power side-curtain airbags. Despite spending time in saltwater and sunlight, the material is as strong and durable as petroleum-based clips, Ford testing shows.

Spurring jobs creation throughout the development process, the plastic material is collected from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea by DSM Engineering Materials. Items produced using plastics collected from the oceans include a wide range of consumer goods, but not until now have automotive parts been on that list.

The process begins with DSM harvesting discarded nylon fishing nets. The plastic is washed of saltwater, dried, and extruded to form small pellets, which are then injection-molded by supplier HellermannTyton into the desired clip shape. Ford is already planning additional parts using recycled ocean plastics, including transmission brackets, wire shields and floor side rails – all stationary parts with strength and durability demands that the material can meet or exceed.

“As a global leader in cable management innovation, HellermannTyton strives for eco-friendly ways to pave the path to a more sustainable future,” said Anisia Peterman, HellermannTyton’s automotive product manager. “Developments like this do not come easy, so we are proud to collaborate with Ford in support of a unique product solution that contributes to healthier oceans.”

The Ford legacy of using recycled plastic

For more than two decades, Ford has used recycled plastics not collected from oceans to produce various parts for automobiles. Most recently, the automaker used recycled water bottles to produce lightweight, aerodynamic-enhancing, noise-reducing underbody shields on the 2020 Ford Escape.

The introduction of parts made of recycled ocean plastic opens new opportunities and builds on a global effort to help reduce ocean debris that hampers sea life or, when harvested, further clutters landfills.