It looks like Ford is trying to go head-to-head against the Jeep Wrangler as a prototype of its new Bronco was spotted sporting off-road-focused features.
In recent photos showing the upcoming Ford Bronco, the vehicle was seen equipped with knobby off-road tires, a lifted suspension, flared fenders, and several other differences compared to its street-oriented sibling that was seen earlier this month.
The off-road Bronco, with its lighter camouflage, was also spotted with round headlights and LED accent lighting, suggesting the automaker’s decision to reference the styling of the first-generation Bronco rather than the more recent generations of the SUV.
Additional details include a huge spare tire hanging off the rear of the vehicle with a high-mounted stoplight on top. The new Bronco is also expected to get Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires in the same size as the ones on the F-150 Raptor pickup.
Beadlock wheels, however, appear to be different from the wheels used on other Bronco models and the 17-inch Beadlock wheels available as an option for the current Raptor. But it’s also likely for the wheels to change in the production version of the SUV.
Experts are assuming the rear cargo of the new Bronco will be accessed by a swing-gate instead of the conventional liftgate.
Ford has not released any information on what the new off-road SUV will be called, but the most likely choice is the recently announced FX4 nameplate that will also carry off-road versions of the F-150 and Ranger pickups.
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