Ford Bronco Warthog Hybrid Just Spotted!

Even though the 2021 Bronco is still a couple of months away from first deliveries, the car fans are already hyped about future versions and models. We already know almost all there is to know about standard Bronco, but recent spy photos show that this is just a beginning, and Ford has many models in the pipeline. We really hope that Bronco Pickup will be coming, but we are not sure that we will ever see a production version with a V8 engine. That being said, we believe that we are still years away from Bronco EV and that Bronco LWB will, unfortunately, never happen. However, what definitely will, is the already impressive Bronco Warthog.

As soon as the final design of the standard 2021 was released and official photos started igniting the imagination of millions of fans across the globe, hawk-eyed car paparazzi from Detroit noticed a strange-looking test mule. Yes, it was the prototype of the 2021 Bronco running down the boulevards around Dearborn, but it wasn't like the ones they saw before. This one had a far menacing stance, bigger tires, masked body kit, and much more aggressive engine note. Fans started speculating that along with the 2021 Bronco and Bronco Sport, Ford will release the ultimate off-road spec Raptor Bronco, but very soon, a press release came straight from the factory that the test mule, was in fact, Bronco Warthog. The Warthog is designed to be the most extreme off-road vehicle ever to the manufacturer by Ford and available to the general public. Similar to what the Raptor is to the F-150 truck series, Warthog should be to the Bronco lineup. This means that this particular SUV will feature completely different drive train components, engine, chassis enhancements, and trim details.

Naturally, most Bronco fans are most interested in drive train specifications. So far, we and all other Bronco-related media outposts were convinced that the upcoming Bronco Warthog would be getting its version of the same engine as Ford Explorer ST. This means that we will find a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 under the hood of the Warthog with an expected 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. Sorry, but no V8 in Warthog, although we know it would make it an even better and real Jeep Wrangler 392 competitor.

Just yesterday, the eagle-eyed paparazzi spotted a slightly different Bronco Warthog prototype, which almost shattered all of our predictions. Even though this Bronco mule looks like any other, it features several crucial changes and clues. The first is a bright orange high-voltage cable running underneath the vehicle, and it is used in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. This is a pretty big giveaway since such cables are not used in solely gas-powered models.

The second is a single tailpipe on this particular Bronco test mule which is different from the previously-spotted prototypes. Earlier Warthogs all had double tailpipes more suited to the high-performance gasoline V6 engine. The single one suggests that this is hybrid.

So, those pictures bring out a lot of big questions. Will the upcoming Bronco Warthog really be a hybrid? Will Ford offer gasoline and hybrid options separately? Is this a new motor, or is this an existing unit? Are there any specifications available? Let's try to answer some of those questions using the information we have and start with the engine first.

At this moment, Ford has a high-performance hybrid engine that is currently used in Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring. It is a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 paired with an electric motor with a combined output of 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. This drive train offers significantly more power and torque than the standard 3.0-liter EcoBoost, which is essential since with close to 500 hp, Bronco Warthog will exceed the power output of its closest rival – Jeep Wrangler 392.

The Wrangler's naturally-aspirated Hemi V8 delivers 470 hp, and although it is not a big difference, it is enough for bragging rights. At the same time, Jeep made big news with the introduction of the Wrangler 4Xe, plug-in hybrid model, and we are sure that Ford wants to compete in that segment as well. At the moment, we cannot really say if Ford will offer two versions of Bronco Warthog, one pure gasoline and another plug-in hybrid. If this is the case, Warthog could be developed as a Bronco sub-brand with two different models, maybe also in a two-door configuration, although we haven't seen a two-door Warthog test mule yet.

There aren't significant changes in terms of suspension and other components, and we believe that the development work in that department is pretty much finished. The Warthog test mules are equipped with gigantic 37-inch BFGoodrich K02 All-Terrain tires, bigger axles, anti-roll bars, the Fox Live Wire adaptive dampers, unique and very advanced components similar to those you can find on the F-150 Raptor. These shocks are crucial if you want to drive fast off-road. With more power, heavy-duty parts, and chassis, it looks like Ford is making Warthog Bronco into a real desert runner.