Phooooo-ey! What a night it was for SUVs baybay! You see, yesterday was supposed to be Bronco day, but, as expected, Jeep was not letting them take the spotlight without putting up a fight. Not after being at the top of everyone’s 4 x 4 wishlist for years. And gotta say, after both brands unveiled their respective rides, Ford have done pretty well with the Bronco, but is it good enough to topple the new Rubicon concept?
2021 Bronco: A serious contender
Ford said and did all the right things to tempt us. Manual transmission, optional 35-inch tires, removable roof and doors. Not to mention, they look PHENOMENAL.
Come next spring, you’ll have 6 Bronco trims to choose from, each one uniquely crafted and tailored to each individual. Whether you’re going for a 2.3L EcoBoost inline-four with 7-speed manual base model or the 2.7L EcoBoost married to 10-speed automatic and seven GOAT (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) modes on the Wildtrak, the Bronco world is your oyster.
Washable floors, Rock Crawl mode, the 2021 Bronco did not disappoint.
Jeep equal to it
Two days prior to the 2021 Bronco launch party, Jeep tweeted a cryptic “392” Hemi Wrangler. And on the day the Bronco delivered, the new Rubicon concept was unveiled.
If you’re gonna come up against them Bronco-ites, you’ve gotta make sure you’re doing it right. In a word: V8. Jeep said let there be power, and there was power.
This massive 6.4L 8-cylinder beast offers you the power of 450 horses, and can accelerate to 100 km/h in under 5 seconds. Damn. Let’s not forget the dual-mode exhaust system that will ensure you hear them rumbles loud and clear.
Badlands vs Rubicon
We haven’t lined them up yet in a 1 v 1 situation (remember the new Rubicon is still just a concept), but let’s take a look at a few features to see if the Bronco really does stand a chance.
Off-road geometry
So when comparing off-road capability, one thing you want to look at is off-road geometry. This is basically the angle between an obstacle and where the tire makes contact with the ground. And man, with 37-inchers and a 51.6-degree approach angle, it should already be game over for the Bronco.
The Badlands apparently doesn’t even get the Sasquatch package that comes with 35-inch tires, which means it’s stuck with 33-inchers. Add to that a 43.2 degree approach angle, and you can see why it wouldn’t really match up to the OG, but we do wonder about that GOAT mode and whether or not it will have a part to play.
Crawl ratio
Now for the other off-roading aspect. Crawl ratio. To spare you the science, this is basically how much torque is multiplied through the axles before it hits the ground. Essentially, if you’ve got a car with lots of torque and a high crawl ratio, you’ll be able to do that thing you see in films, where an off-roader slowly creeps over boulders, keeping the rig under control. One of the main reasons anybody wants an off-roader really.
Again, there really shouldn’t be a contest. That 392 hemi offers 450 lb-ft of torque to the Bronco’s 310 lb-ft, and with that much torque, comes no responsibility. Added to the 37 inch tires, the superior approach angle, and there’s a clear winner on the horizon.
Save the Wrangler!
Here’s the catch. Even though it looks like the new Rubicon would eat all 6 Bronco trims for brunch, it remains, thus far, a concept. A delicious concept, yes, but as far as it’s not in production, you can probably make do with a new 2021 Bronco.
NOT!
If there’s enough buzz around the V8 Rubicon, the boys at Jeep will definitely get working on bringing it to the masses. The Bronco may have won the battle, but may be slaughtered when the new Rubicon arrives.
