You might not have realized it, but the celebration of Ford Broncos known as Bronco Super Celebration East is happening in Tennessee this weekend. Ford, letting no promotional opportunity go to waste, will of course promote the new Bronco there. One of the SUVs they are bringing is a just-announced Bronco Overland concept — and as the name suggests, it’s a 2021 Bronco perfect;y outfitted for overlanding use.
Ford’s base vehicle for the Bronco Overland is a four-door Bronco in off-road-focused Badlands trim and Area 51 paint. The SUV uses the smaller 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine — presumably less fuel-thirsty than the six-cylinder option making it better for overlanding expeditions — mated to Ford’s seven-speed manual transmission with an added crawler gear. The Bronco also includes the H.O.S.S. high-performance off-road stability suspension with Bilstein position-sensitive dampers and 35-inch mud-terrain tires.
Ford loaded this Bronco up with accessories, of course. The Bronco Overland offers a Ford Performance by Warn winch, a Yakima heavy-duty two-person tent on its roof, a Rigid light bar and 360-degree pod lighting, a CB antenna and an ARB refrigerator, cooking kit and stove in the rear.
We’re still waiting for the new Bronco’s EPA fuel economy figures, which will factor into the SUV’s utility for overlanding. But we suspect that getting off the grid will be a popular pastime for many Bronco owners, even if the vehicle’s potential inefficiency could make the jerry can an essential gear item.
What the Bronco Overland and previous Bronco builds have showcased is that Ford will optimize your Bronco for the adventure you want. You’ll be able to fit your Bronco with the biggest name-brand off-roading accessories, and it will be ready to hit the trail off the dealer lot (even if you need to go to Bronco camp to figure out how to use it).
