Baja-ready Ford Bronco V8 racer unleashed

Ford has unwrapped the wildest version yet of the Ford Bronco SUV, which features a powerful V8 engine, stripped-out cabin and full race-spec suspension.

The Blue Oval brand has also confirmed it will produce the new Bronco DR (Desert Racer) in limited numbers, however the high-performance off-roader won't be road-legal.

In fact, the Bronco DR is a fully-fledged off-road racer developed to compete in the 2022 SCORE Baja 1000 category.

Powered by Ford's naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 'Coyote' engine, the US car-maker says in race trim the Bronco DR will "generate more than 400hp (300kW)".

Ford has again teamed up with Canadian-based supplier and engineering specialist Multimatic, which was responsible for adding the long-travel race suspension that features billet aluminium lower control arms.

As a result, the Bronco DR is claimed to boast up to 55 per cent more suspension travel up front and 56.8 per cent more at the rear.

The race-spec Ford SUV also gets a 47-degree approach angle and a 37-degree departure angle, as well as a breakover angle of 33 degrees.

Riding on 17-inch bead-lock wheels shod with grippy 37-inch BF Goodrich mud-terrain tyres, the Bronco keeps its 10-speed automatic transmission but deploys all its might via a beefier transfer case borrowed from the Ford F-150 truck.

There's also an electronically locking front and rear differential and upgraded brake pads, although the standard SUV's rotors are carried over.

Saving weight, the Bronco DR wears fibreglass body panels and has a tubular front bumper and single-piece grille.

The air-conditioning system has also been deleted, although that's not the problem you might think with the desert racer as all the glass has been removed too.

Finally, large intakes and a new livery has been added.

Created to be a turn-key off-road racer, Ford has confirmed a limited production run of 50 Bronco DR units.

All will be built by Multimatic, with prices set to kick off at around $US250,000 ($A335,000).

“After working with Multimatic on such successful programs as the Ford GT road and race cars, the Ford GT MkII track car and every iteration of competition Mustangs, they're the natural partner for our new entry into off-road motorsports that builds on our desert racing heritage with the Ford Bronco,” said Ford Performance Motorsports boss Mark Rushbrook.