SPY PICS: Ford Bronco shapes up

First official ‘spy’ photos of the upcoming Ford Bronco were released early this week, and now independent spy shots have exposed the born-again American SUV’s true shape.

While Ford's images showed a heavily camouflaged two-door prototype bashing through sand dunes in California, with what appeared to be a fridge strapped to its rump, these new shots show the four-door variant and its butch, squared-off design.

The bluff front-end will stand out from the more curvaceous SUVs available today but it’s difficult to make out the Bronco's headlight design, which is tipped to be circular – again, like that of the Jeep Wrangler.

At the rear the Bronco’s square tail-lights are more exposed, with LED-heavy designs providing the reborn 4x4 with contemporary visuals.

The new Ford Bronco is based on the same Aussie-developed T6 ladder platform that underpins the Ford Ranger ute and Everest SUV. Like the Wrangler, which forms the basis of the Gladiator, the Bronco may also spawn a pick-up derivative.

Indeed, Ford Australia has cited the Ranger – not the Everest – as the main reason it won't sell the Bronco Down Under, where the popular ute is its top-selling model, even if it was produced in right-hand drive.

In late 2018, Ford Australia chief Kay Hart told carsales there were no plans to sell the Bronco here.

“There are currently no plans in place for right-hand drive Bronco,” she said at the time. “Clearly it’s going to be a great vehicle, but we are extremely happy with the performance of Ranger here.

“That’s not to say we don’t continually look at other products within Ford, but Ranger is doing such a fantastic job here. We’re happy with the line-up as it stands, but that’s not to say we wouldn’t look to add to the range in future.”

Either way, as these new images show, the born-again Bronco will be a design-driven machine that, like its predecessors, has strong off-road abilities and a penchant for adventure.

Matching the Wrangler, it is expected to offer lifestyle features such as removable doors (and possibly roof, given the bulky camo up top), and a full suite of off-road modes borrowed from the Ranger.

Also expected to be shared with the Ranger is a 10-speed automatic transmission, most likely paired with same 2.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder that powers the US-spec Ranger, Mustang and previous Focus RS.

There's also talk of a bigger, more potent 2.7-litre turbo-petrol V6 and rumours of a Bronco Raptor continue to linger. The latter could even pack a V8 like – you guessed it – the Aussie-engineered Ranger Raptor V8 expected on sale here this year.

Given the stricter emissions regulations in some US states, particularly California where the Bronco is expected to find favour, Ford may also offer a hybrid powertrain in the Bronco – which could have implications for the Aussie Ford Ranger.

We know a hybrid Toyota HiLux is coming before 2025, but could a Ranger hybrid beat it to the punch?

Check out more upcoming car models in Spy Pics