The Riptide Concept is a Bronco Beach Buggy

From the time in late 1965 when the first Broncos began rolling off assembly lines, Ford knew that a big part of its narrative would be centered on the SUV's image. No doubt that its off-road capabilities, purpose-driven design and capable 4x4 drivetrain were all crucial components, but customers needed a bit more to be convinced that the Bronco was the right choice.

That's why Ford invested a lot into advertising and concept cars. The logic was simple: introduce the flashy show car, get the customer’s attention, draw them to the showrooms, and sell them a production-configured Bronco.

Over the years, we've seen numerous Bronco concept cars, some of which proved to be very influential and forward-thinking, like the DM-1 Concept from 1988, which would prove to closely mirror the look of modern SUV models, and the eponymous Bronco Concept, which was the absolute star of the 2004 Detroit Auto Show. 

So far, Ford has introduced a few mild show and concept cars based on the 2021 Bronco, and the latest in that lineup is the very cool Bronco Riptide Concept, which can't possibly arrive at a better time. Just days after the announcement that Bronco production would be delayed yet again and thousands of MIC tops would have to be replaced due to quality concerns, Ford is in need of some positive marketing to cheer up their customer base. This is precisely the purpose of this vehicle.

What's the only place in the world where you can't possibly feel down or nervous? Yes, that would be the beach, and this was exactly the idea that fueled Ford’s design team.

Knowing just how popular the Bronco has always been with buyers who are looking for a fun vehicle for weekend beach trips, Ford wanted to present a dedicated model designed especially for such activities. But it's not just a run-of-the-mill beach buggy -- the Bronco Riptide is a very capable off-road vehicle that's perfect for venturing to those unknown but gorgeous beaches and hard-to-reach places that only dedicated surfers go to.

Even though those surfboards with specially designed mounts on the roof are a direct giveaway, the Riptide is filled with cool, beach-centric details. For example, all four doors have been removed and replaced with tubular doors, which will hold you inside the vehicle when you are jumping the dunes. The interior, with durable marine-grade vinyl-trimmed seats in Black Onyx and Dark Space Gray and rubberized washout flooring, is perfect for packing your wet gear and not having to worry about it. Even the gorgeous Velocity Blue color is reminiscent of ocean hues. 

However, Ford’s design team didn’t just stop at the visual aspects of this concept. The Bronco Riptide is based on a four-door model that's equipped with the Sasquatch Package and optional 35-inch tires. The list of off-road hardware that's onboard is pretty impressive.  It includes optional Ford Performance Beadlock rings, a Dana Advan TEK electronic-locking front and rear axles, a high-clearance suspension system with Bilstein position-sensitive long-travel shock absorbers, plus an exclusive Bronco Terrain Management System™ with seven G.O.A.T. modes. 

This means that the Bronco Riptide is capable not just of getting you down to the local beach, but of tackling any terrain you might encounter, .