The 2021 Ford Bronco has yet to hit dealer lots in any form, yet we already have spy shots showing the supposed king of the hill out in the wild. This, by all accounts, is the Ford Bronco Raptor. Those who know that name will recognize it as the biggest, baddest, most capable Bronco of the bunch. Now, though, we have an opportunity to see just how the evidence so far bears that out.
It may not be the Bronco “Raptor”, but that name’s likely
To be clear, Ford has not officially committed to using the Raptor name with the Bronco just yet. In fact, the Blue Oval’s said nothing on the lineup beyond what’s already been revealed. “Raptor” is the most obvious way to move, however, particularly as the nameplate’s been used to great success with the F-150 and, in overseas markets, the Ranger.
The sheer amount of camouflage on this prototype shows Ford’s clearly working on a more jacked up Bronco. To wit, this prototype is lifted even beyond the standard models, giving it an immense amount of ground clearance. The flared wheel arches are another clue to this car’s purpose. Those wider arches accommodate BFGoodrich all-terrain tires, as well as what appears to be an even greater track width. The Bronco Wildtrak already has a track width at 66.9 inches, so if a Raptor version is any wider we’re talking about one beefy SUV.
In short, Ford Performance hasn’t wasted any time dialing the Ford Bronco Raptor up to eleven. What we don’t know at this point are details about its powertrain. It stands to reason Ford would amp up its 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 even further, beyond the 310 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque we’ll get from the standard version. However, electrification could also be on the table as Ford is reportedly developing a hybrid Bronco.
With the new Wrangler 4xe hitting dealers in the coming months and the V8-powered 392 supposedly on the way, Ford needs a response. The company has fired its shot straight across Jeep’s bow, but FCA is not going to sit idle while the Bronco eats into its market share. Hopefully we’ll get more official information on a Ford Bronco Raptor straight from the horse’s mouth — pun intended — after the 2021 models hit dealers and driveways.
