Ford Bronco Rumored to Receive Aluminum Body
Now that we’ve at last laid eyes on the Ford Mustang Mach-E, there’s one last white whale lingering in Ford’s future product portfolio: the much-anticipated Ford Bronco. Set to make its world premiere next spring, the Bronco may wind up with an aluminum body ala the F-150 if you read into details from the finalized contract between UAW and Ford.
Hints from the contract
A union agreement document obtained by Bronco6G suggests that Dearborn Stamping is to receive a $100 million investment as part of the $6 billion agreement. Per the document, that covers “stampings for all new Broncos” in addition to continued stampings and hydroforming for the F-150, F-Series Super Duty, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator — all of which have aluminum bodies.
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Why aluminum?
The benefits of an aluminum-bodied Ford Bronco include lighter weight and better rust resistance, both of which are ideal for an SUV that’s meant to get down and dirty as the Bronco is. This would also make it more likely that the Bronco will have removable doors as they’ll be lighter weight and easier to remove.
Photo: Ford Motor Company
Bronco R race prototype
Ford recently revealed a Bronco R race prototype, but it’s unknown whether that vehicle uses military-grade aluminum alloy in its body construction. It’s possible that this prototype will be like an early version of the current-gen Ford F-150, which Ford tested covertly at the Baja 1000 to ensure durability and performance were up to par.
Also rumored for the Ford Bronco are a manual transmission, canopy roof, two- and four-door configurations, and the Ranger’s 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine. Ford has confirmed a hybrid variant is in the works.
Photos: Ford Bronco R
More Off-Road Ready Fords: 2020 Super Duty receives Tremor Off-Road Package with massive tires
News Source: Bronco6G
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