Bronco Weekly #3

You Can Have A Bronco-Themed Visa Card

Last year, Ford launched its own FordPass Reward Visa Card, providing its owners with an impressive array of benefits and rewards , compiled not only when shopping at Ford dealerships, but everywhere else.

So far, the program has been very successful, with enjoying generously high statement credits when spending more than $3,000 annually.

We're no students of economics, but rather unabashed fans of the Bronco, so we're just as interested in the design of the card itself. Ford recently presented the new layout, featuring the Bronco logo with stylized mountains behind it -- a fitting nod to the Bronco's considerable off-roading capabilities.

Applying for FordPass Reward Card is easy, so you can show everybody that you are a proud member of the Ford Bronco community the next time you pay for goods or services.

2023 Bronco Warthog Production Set At 16,000 Units Per Year

We already know that Bronco Warthog, the ultimate factory performance model, will be coming out as a 2023 or 2024 model, and we have a rough idea of the specifications this beast will be sporting  that matter most to us.

The Warthog will come with a 3.5-liter, twin-turbo Ecoboost engine that will pack at least 450 hp (we expect it to be closer to 500 hp) -- it'll probably be the same unit featured in the F-150 Raptor. Also, the Warthog test mule is equipped with gigantic 37-inch BFGoodrich K02 All-Terrain tires, bigger axles, and anti-roll bars.

Probably most notable will be the almost certain inclusion of Fox Live Valve shocks -- unique and very advanced components similar to those you'll find on the F-150 Raptor. These shocks really come into play when you step into while off-roading.

With outstanding power and heavy-duty parts and chassis, it looks like Ford is serious about making Warthog Bronco a real desert runner.

At the same time, Bronco Warthog fans will likely be interested in price and availability. Currently, the price is an unknown, but recent news from a reputable source at Ford states that the Bronco Warthog's annual production will be set at 16,000 examples annually.

We have to say that we're pleasantly surprised with this information. If this holds true, it means that Ford will be giving the Warthog a substantially bigger production limit than it did for some other of its specialized products like the Raptor, Shelby Mustangs, or Focus RS.

New Heritage Trim Level

A couple of days ago, the talk of the Bronco community had been the new Heritage trim, but details were admittedly scarce. At first, it was thought that it would be available for the 2021 model year but it turned out otherwise. Customers can order the two and four-door Bronco with Heritage package later this year, and it will be delivered as MY 2022.

We also know that it will be positioned higher up the Bronco ladder and will feature unique colors, color combinations, and interior details. Most Bronco fans are hoping for some chrome details and white roof panels -- a look harkening back to the classic 1966 to 1977 Ford Bronco. 

Chevrolet's Not Scared? 

When the new 2021 Bronco was announced, and especially when the buyers virtually broke the internet ordering it, car analysts looked to Chevrolet for its response. After all, Chevrolet is Ford's historic archenemy, and two companies are continually fighting for domination on domestic and global markets. However, it looks like Chevrolet is not interested in competing with Ford, at least according to its Senior Marketing Manager, Brad Franz.

In a recent interview, he said that Chevrolet, while paying close attention to what its competitors are doing, is focusing on further developing its Blazer model, with no current intentions on changing the direction. We remind you that Chevrolet used the Blazer nameplate, which once was a fierce Bronco competitor on the soft, urban, mid-size SUV, which is not a great seller. This leaves Chevy with nothing in its arsenal to fight the Bronco's offensive, and while their messaging might sound outwardly calm, we believe that GM is rushing to put out a proper competitor to 2021 Bronco and Jeep Wrangler.

2021 Bronco Lego

We all love Lego's car designs, and we cannot wait until this company officially announces a Bronco set. As it turns out, thanks to Ford's engineer Peter Blackert, the 2021 Lego Bronco already exists, and it looks fantastic. Blackert is a certified Lego fan, and on his Instagram profile, he publishes numerous fantastic designs. But the real stars are two Broncos, the orange two-door, and grey four-door models.

The details are impressive, and this is the third Bronco model car iteration we know so far, the first two being Hot Wheels and Maisto versions. Unfortunately, this one is not an official Lego product, and it is not for sale. However, we are sure that Lego will produce its version soon as it did with the 2019 Land Rover Defender.