History is always like this, new things will always quickly cover up those old legends with lightning speed, and then let the world gradually forget them. When it comes to traditional hard-core off-road vehicles, you may casually mention well-known models such as Land Cruiser, Patrol, Pajero, Wrangler, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Land Rover Defender, etc. As for the history of these models, many people should be able to tell a thing or two. However, when it comes to Ford Bronco, I am afraid that there are very few people who can remember it. But in fact, in the thirty years from 1966 to 1996, Ford Bronco was a very popular hardcore SUV. So, let’s take a look at those things about the Ford Bronco.
In the 30-year life cycle of the Ford Bronco, a total of five generations of models have been developed. However, from the perspective of the positioning of the vehicle, Bronco can be divided into two categories. The first category is represented by the first-generation models. In the early model era, its positioning will be closer to traditional off-road vehicles. The second category is from the second-generation model in 1978 to the fifth-generation model in 1996. In this stage, the Bronco is closer to the positioning of a hardcore SUV, emphasizing the versatility of the vehicle. and playfulness. For ease of description, the following is a list of the five generations of Bronco.
1966 -1977: The first generation.
1978-1979: The second generation
1980-1986: The third generation
1987-1991: The fourth generation
1992-1996: The fifth generation
In 1966, the first-generation Ford Bronco was a small off-road vehicle that competed with Jeep CJ-5 and IWC HarvesterScout. The new car adopted an exclusive model platform. By the time of the second-generation model in 1978, the Ford Bronco adopted the shortened Ford F-series pickup platform, and the competing models were also upgraded to the Chevrolet K5 Blazer and Dodge Ramcharger. Of course, its size has also been greatly improved. . At the same time, it also established the legendary history of Chevrolet Bronco.
First Generation Ford Bronco
The first-generation Ford Bronco was officially unveiled in 1966. As mentioned above, the birth of the first-generation Ford Bronco targeted the small off-road vehicle market represented by the CJ-5. Therefore, the size of the whole vehicle is not large. In terms of body structure, it provides three body types: Wagon, Halfcab and Roadster. The different combinations of the three body styles also provide more diverse vehicle needs for the first-generation Ford Bronco. In terms of exterior details, the first-generation Ford Bronco has a simple and practical shape. All the window glass is flat glass, and the front bumper is just a stamped steel plate. The design of the front face can be said to define the main tone of the fifth-generation Bronco models, with the headlights and air intake grille forming a highly integrated body.
In terms of power, the first-generation Ford Bronco is equipped with a 2.8L inline six-cylinder engine with a maximum output of 66 kilowatts and a maximum torque of 198 Nm. Later, a 4.7L V8 power was added, with a maximum output of 150 kilowatts. In 1969, the 4.7L V8 engine was replaced by a 4.9L V8 power, with a maximum output of 153 kilowatts. It is matched with a three-speed manual transmission. In terms of chassis, the first-generation Bronco that was initially launched used Dana 30 axles, which were upgraded to Dana 44 in 1971. Brakes Drum brakes were standard, disc brakes were added as an option in 1976, and disc brakes were included as standard in 1977.
Since the wheelbase of the first-generation Ford Bronco is only 2337 mm, its flexibility has also been well reflected, which also makes the first-generation Bronco Ford’s first compact SUV. However, for a model with this positioning, the too small size makes it difficult to undertake the work of heavy-duty traction, which also paves the way for Bronco to expand in size from the second-generation model.
As a newly developed model by Ford, the originality of the first-generation Bronco can be said to be very thorough. Its non-load-bearing body and suspension are not common to other models. The brakes and drive shaft are derived from the Ford F100 pickup. A stabilizer bar was added to the front axle to match coil springs, while a more traditional leaf spring was used at the rear. Its turning diameter is 10.4 meters. The first-generation Ford Bronco came standard with a front-axle clutch, and heavy-duty suspension was listed as an option.
Speaking of optional configuration, the first-generation Bronco also provided a series of packages such as front fighter seats, tachometer, tow bar, auxiliary fuel tank, and winch. In terms of modification kits, camping equipment and a series of high-performance kits including tires and chassis are provided.
Due to its precise positioning, the first-generation Ford Bronco achieved sales of 23,776 units in its first year on the market, and its overall sales are second only to Jeep CJ-5. However, in 1969, Chevrolet officially launched the first-generation Blazer to compete with the Ford Bronco. The larger body size, more luxurious and more comfortable interior space also made the Bronco’s product competitiveness begin to decline, so there was the first Blazer. The second-generation model is fully upgraded in terms of positioning.
Second Generation Ford Bronco
In 1978, Ford officially launched the second-generation Ford Bronco, which was also the beginning of Ford Bronco’s official move towards large-scale and multi-functional. However, this model did not exist on the market for a long time. Only a year later, Ford launched the third-generation Bronco, which can be described as very short-lived.
In terms of appearance, the second-generation Ford Bronco is obviously more refined than the first-generation model. In addition to the larger vehicle size, the shape of the front face has also been upgraded to Ford’s family design at that time. The thick body and higher ground clearance make the second-generation Bronco look very powerful. The second-generation Bronco, launched in 1978, was still equipped with round headlights, and the 1979 version adopted standard square headlights. The body form still adopts the design of the three-door detachable roof, but compared with the first-generation model, the degree of integration of the detachable parts is higher. It is also worth mentioning that the rear windshield can be fully retracted into the tailgate through the electric motor. Inside the vehicle, the second-generation Bronco offers rear seats that fold forward. Compared with the first-generation model, the materials and design style of the interior are also more high-end.
In terms of platform, the second-generation Ford Bronco fully adopts the non-load-bearing body platform of the shortened Ford F100, and it is also common with the F100 pickup in terms of chassis, power system and body parts. In terms of power, it provides V8 power with different outputs, matching it with a four-speed manual gearbox, and an automatic gearbox is listed as an option. In terms of chassis, the second-generation Ford Bronco still uses the front and rear hard axle design, and this is also the last generation of the Ford Bronco series to use a hard axle front axle. By the third generation of Bronco, the characteristics of SUV became more and more obvious.
The third-generation Ford Bronco.
In 1980, with the upgrade of the Ford F-series pickups, the Ford Bronco also ushered in the third-generation model.
In terms of appearance, the third-generation Ford Bronco is obviously more powerful than the second-generation model, with a fuller front shape. The three-door body structure and the detachable rear structure are still retained. In fact, this structure has become the standard configuration of the Bronco series. The short wheelbase brought by the three-door design makes the Bronco series look very light. . And the interior space of the second row under this unique three-door layout will also be greatly guaranteed.
In addition to the changes in appearance, the biggest change of the third-generation Ford Bronco is the upgrade of the new Dana 44 axle, and the front suspension is officially upgraded to a double-wishbone independent suspension. In terms of power, the third-generation Ford Bronco provides 4.9L inline six-cylinder, 4.9L V8 and 5.7L V8 power. It is matched with a four-speed manual, three-speed automatic and four-speed automatic transmission.
The fourth-generation Ford Bronco.
It can be said that starting from the second-generation model, the replacement of Ford Bronco has closely followed the pace of the replacement of F-series pickups. In 1987, with the renewing of the F-series pickups, the Ford Bronco also ushered in the fourth-generation model.
In terms of appearance, the fourth-generation Bronco obviously has a sense of the times. The headlights adopt a design that was very popular at the time, and the feeling presented between the brows is quite similar to the contemporary LC60. The front bumper is also designed with a large area of chrome plating. The shape of the vehicle is still powerful and full of tension. Compared with the previous three-generation models, the fourth-generation Ford Bronco obviously pays more attention to the improvement of the aerodynamic effect of the body, and the whole vehicle should be more rounded and full.
In terms of power, the fourth-generation Bronco still retains the power configuration of the third-generation model, but has been fully upgraded to electronically controlled injection. Also upgraded in 1990 were an all-new four-speed automatic transmission and a five-speed manual transmission. This upgrade also improves the economy of the fourth-generation Bronco to a certain extent.
The fifth-generation Ford Bronco.
The fifth-generation Ford Bronco is not particularly unfamiliar. The Ford Bronco born in 1992 has appeared in American movies many times. Its appearance is full of the design style of the early 1990s. The headlights adopt a split design, and the application range of the chrome-plated bright strips on the air intake grille is increased. The shape of the vehicle is also more contemporary.
In terms of configuration, the fifth-generation Ford Bronco also keeps pace with the times, adding rear seat belts, high-mount brake lights, and driver-side airbags. However, because the rear seat belts and high-mounted brake lights are still located on the detachable rear roof, the fifth-generation Ford Bronco has deleted the description of the detachable rear roof from the user manual, but users can still use it through Fumble yourself to remove the rear roof. The engine and transmission remain the same. The fifth-generation Ford Bronco was officially discontinued in 1996, which also announced the end of the Ford Bronco legend. Then in 1997, the four-door version of the Ford Expedition officially debuted. The more practical space brought by the four-door design made it take on the important task of the successor of the Ford Bronco.
Extra Story of Ford Bronco-Ford Bronco II
In addition to the popular Ford Bronco series, in fact, in the six years from 1984 to 1990, Ford also launched a compact SUV slightly smaller than the Bronco, which was also a three-door design. , the name of the car is named Bronco II. Its platform is based on the Ford Ranger, which is one size smaller than the F-series. And this Bronco II also appeared in the car market at that time as an important derivative model of the Ford Bronco series, and its competitors locked the Chevrolet S10 Blazer model. From a platform point of view, the current Ford Everest is definitely the true descendant of the Bronco II.
In early 1983, Chevrolet officially launched the S10 Blazer model, and then GMC’s Jimmy was officially announced, and then the famous second-generation Cherokee was officially unveiled. It’s clear that a market for compact SUVs is taking shape. Compared with the previous American off-road vehicles, most of the compact SUVs in this period were equipped with small-displacement engines. The formation of this market also benefited to a large extent from the 1979 oil crisis. As a competition, Ford’s Bronco is also equipped with a 2.9L V6 engine with a maximum output of 104 kilowatts. However, this engine seems to be unstable. Due to the overheating of the engine, it is easy to cause cracks in the cylinder head. It was not improved until a new cylinder head was installed in 1989. In addition, in 1987, Ford also launched a model equipped with a 2.3L diesel engine with a maximum output of 64 kilowatts, but it was rarely sold because of its poor power output.
The first-generation Bronco II was sold from 1984 to 1988, and received an upgrade in 1989 with the Ranger facelift. The upgraded part includes the four-wheel drive system, and the front axle is also upgraded from the old Dana28 to Dana35. However, this upgraded model did not sell for a long time. In February 1990, the Ford Bronco II was officially discontinued and replaced by the larger Explorer. As for the first compact SUV, since the Bronco II, Ford has officially launched the Maverick model as the main force in this market until today.
In the short six-year life cycle of Ford Bronco II, it has also attracted the attention of the industry because of its high rollover rate. According to the report issued by IIHS that year, about 70 people died in Ford Bronco II rollover accidents every year, and the rear-drive version of the Bronco II had a higher rollover rate, with 3.78 deaths per 10,000 models. The WD model was 1.74, and 88 percent of accidents involving the Bronco II involved rollovers. It is precisely because of this that Ford finally made up his mind to replace it with a four-door version of the Explorer.
