Ford showed Bronco Riptide: without a roof, without doors, with a different front bumper
The SUV is a concept that is designed to please connoisseurs of outdoor activities on the beach.
The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have affected many automakers, including Ford. At the end of 2020, brand dealers sold 1,929,298 cars on the home market, which is almost 16% less than a year earlier. It is curious that in the current year the negative trend continues (although many other brands have already returned to the “plus”). So, in the first seven months of 2021, the company managed to sell 1,055,727 cars, which, although by 1 symbolic percentage, is still less compared to the result of January-July last year.
Pictured: Ford Bronco Riptide Concept
However, the company continues to follow its own vector of development, within which Ford seeks, among other things, to stir up interest in one of the loudest premieres of last year – the Bronco frame SUV. The model with the revived name debuted in the summer of 2020, but due to delays in the start of production, it went on sale as recently as June of this year. Customers received a total of 4,078 vehicles over the summer months, according to Carsalesbase.
The Bronco Riptide concept is intended to draw attention to the model: as noted in the company, it is designed to “hook” a resident of the west coast of the United States who enjoys a carefree life. The show car was created on the basis of the four-door version of the SUV. True, in fact, he has no doors, as well as a roof. In fact, the concept is a version with the Sasquatch package, which received accessories from the brand's corporate catalog and accessories certified by the company.
The car with the Riptide prefix has a blue body color, and the seats are finished in water-resistant black and gray vinyl, which is used for yachts. On the floor of the SUV there are rubber mats that are easy to clean, and instead of a roof, they equipped the top with a special Bimini mesh (surfboards can be mounted on top). The concept also has a dedicated bike rack, a beam of LEDs on the top of the windshield, spotlights placed next to the side mirrors, and a different front bumper (many are shown in the Ford accessories catalog).
This Ford Bronco has 17-inch wheels shod with tires with an outer diameter of 35 inches, a GOAT driving mode switching system., as well as the Trail Turn Assist maneuvering system.
Under the hood of the Ford Bronco Riptide, a 2.7-liter EcoBoost bi-turbo six with a return of 314 hp is installed. (542 Nm). This motor (from the existing model line) comes with a ten-speed automatic transmission. Note that customers will not be able to buy such a beach version, but if they wish, they can create a version very similar to it thanks to the accessories catalog.
But a fully “electric” frame SUV may well become a reality: Ford CEO Jim Farley hinted at this last spring. In addition, the Bronco will also have a hybrid version. According to preliminary data, the power plant will be based on a 3.0-liter gasoline V6 biturbo engine of the EcoBoost family, which will work in tandem with an “electric addition”. It is likely that the total output of the hybrid Bronco system will be about 457 hp.