Ford has rolled out an interesting stylistic take on the Bronco SUV. Dubbed the Roadster, it hearkens back to the design of its predecessor from 1965 and only wears minimal bodywork. The company admits it won’t go into production, but CarBuzz points out that at least some of its features would be nice to see in the regular, mass-produced Bronco.
One of the Ford brand fans ordered a topless version of the MY1966 Bronco with lots of Mustang styling cues. The unique show car was built as a proof of concept that sporty character and off-road capability don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Ford says it has now tried to replicate the same qualities in the Bronco Roadster Concept seen here.
The designers say their main idea was to take a normal three-door Bronco SUV and then “trim all the fat”. This is how the off-roader lost its top, door panels and much of the interior trim. Doorframes were tweaked a bit, and the rear seats were thrown out to make room for a luggage bed with a tailgate. You can see a spare wheel in there.
If you are wondering why the plastic cover at the front fascia looks like it’s a cooler shade of white compared to the rest of the car, that’s actually a good observation. The designers chose to paint it in Wimbledon White, a nostalgic Ford shade from the ‘60s. Vintage-style wheels and bumpers, as well as retro-inspired trim on the seats also serve to amplify this feeling of an automotive era long gone, but not forgotten.
Based on the images alone, it looks like this Bronco uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine along with a manual gearbox.
