The Ford Bronco SUV Is Finally Coming to Europe

The Ford Bronco has been around since the sixties and has become a trusted SUV in the USA. The success of the Bronco has meant that it continues to be in production (if we ignore a 25-year hiatus until it was reintroduced in 2020) with the current model being the sixth generation. Surprisingly, the Ford Bronco, despite its all-conquering popularity in the USA, has not ventured across the Atlantic – until now. 

The big news is that the revived and ever reliable Bronco is heading to Europe; probably from the third quarter of 2023. A welcome surprise, as when the Bronco was relaunched two years ago, Ford had made it clear that they hadn’t any intention of expanding its availability. Time can change minds and perspectives of course, and now Ford has decided it’s time to send the Bronco SUV on an adventure to Europe’s mainland. To be precise, Ford Europe has decided, as Ford in America has been waiting on a decision from Ford Europe for some time.

It’s worth mentioning that the emphasis here is ‘mainland’, as Ford currently has no plans to send the Bronco to UK showrooms. This is quite likely a left-hand-drive issue which may or may not be resolved at a date in the (hopefully not too distant) future. Though it does mean that those in the UK who want to become a Ford Bronco owner can potentially soon pop over to France or Germany and drive one back to the UK.

The Bronco heading to Europe will be the 2-door and 4-door varieties with a choice of either 2.3-litre Ecoboost engine or 2.7-litre V6 engine. As you might expect, the Bronco will come with vast customisation options to make it your own or cater more specifically for your nature of business.

Ford says that numbers will be limited, and this will surely give importers the chance to make owning a Bronco in the UK potentially a pretty expensive procedure – especially if you choose to go for a left-hand conversion. The suggested reason for European Bronco numbers being limited is simply that demand remains very high in the SUV’s home country.

The Ford Bronco will likely be an effective challenger to the Land Rover Defender’s crown and will certainly give potential buyers another option to consider. The Bronco spec is as impressive as its sales in the USA suggest, with the 2.3-litre featuring 270bhp and 420Nm torque. That hefty 2.7-litre V6 gets 310bhp with 542Nm torque. The SUV also gets under-body protection, selectable 4-wheel drive and locking rear and front diffs. It also features long-travel dampers courtesy of Bilstein which helps to give the Bronco an impressive 11.6 inches of clearance, beating the Land Rover Defender. For 2022, the Bronco also gets the sophisticated and customisable Blue Oval Terrain Management System for those heading off-road.

For the 2022MY, Ford’s designers 3D scanned the original sixties vehicle to develop a vehicle with a strong lineage that can be traced back to the first generation SUV. Modular panels make the Bronco a very versatile model too, with both doors and hardtop roof able to be removed. Depending on how you spec your Bronco, internal drain holes can also be included to allow hosing down, thanks to weather resistant interior materials. Meanwhile, Ford appears to also be planning a full-size Ford Bronco SUV EV. So, plenty to look forward to and plenty to keep an eye on over the coming months.

Images: ford.com