Electric vehicles are emerging as a big piece of Ford Motor Co.’s future business, but CEO Jim Farley insists the company is not walking away from vehicles with internal combustion engines.
In fact, Farley said during the company’s most recent earnings call that Ford is looking for ways to build up the company’s business around internal combustion engines by adding new variants of popular models such as the Ford Bronco.
The effort also coincides with Ford’s efforts to build Bronco into a rugged lifestyle brand to rival Jeep long-dominance in aggressive off roading. Now, just in time for spring break, Ford is unveiling the new Bronco Everglades special edition, which features a snorkel so the vehicle can breathe underwater.
Ready for the wet ’n wild
For off-roaders looking to go further off the grid, the new 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades is designed to press on when the air gets thick or when the trail turns others around Bronco SUVs have traversed remote locations.
The Bronco Everglades is available as a four-door model with confidence-building, factory-installed features such as the previously mentioned snorkel, an integrated front bumper-mounted winch, and all the off-road equipment in the Bronco Sasquatch Package.
It is powered by a 2.3-liter EcoBoost delivering 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque and a class exclusive Select Shift 10-speed automatic transmission with advanced 4×4 system and a maximum 67.8:1 crawl ratio.
Off-road capability extended in new direction
“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.”
The Bronco Everglades’ snorkel, which was designed and engineered by Ford, runs up the passenger-side A-pillar and optimizes the vehicle’s performance in dust, snow and water by raising the engine air intake above water or other adverse trail conditions.
The design of the snorkel uses two easy-to-swap plates to change the direction of the inlet based on trail and weather conditions, according to Ford designers.
“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.”
Design helped chart new paths
The Bronco design team took advantage of the SUV’s patented off-road modular design to create 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 style.
The front and rear axles, transfer case and transmission on the Bronco Everglades are equipped with raised vents for improved fording of streams or swampy areas. The design changes combine to give the Bronco Everglades fording capability of 36.4 inches — or more than three feet.
For situations when Bronco Everglades or even another vehicle needs traction beyond what the tires and engine can provide, a heavy-duty modular front bumper by Ford Performance with a winch — featuring 10,000-pound capability and a 100-foot synthetic line is available 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 alloy wheels — painted Carbonized Gray — with 35-inch Goodyear mud-terrain tires are part of the package.
Additional upgrades
Additional exterior appointments include rock rails to protect the lower sills, plus a molded-in-color hardtop and roof rack with crossbars, according to the Everglades specifications.
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 since it comes with standard marine-grade vinyl seats and rubberized washout flooring. The Everglades version of the Bronco also 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.
