Ford’s joint enterprise with Jiangling Motors in China has revealed Basecamp, a special edition of the Bronco SUV advertised as a “full-fledged home on wheels” despite lacking certain features normally expected of motorhomes.
For one thing, the car features a transparent pop-up roof, but it’s only good for increasing the available cabin space – no tent is provided. Owners are supposed to fold down the seats inside, forming a level bed, and topping it off with an OEM inflatable mattress. The front seat headrests fold down at a push of a dedicated button, so the process isn’t too involved.
In turn, the tailgate doubles as a kitchenette of sorts. It accommodates a folding table, a magnet rack for knives, several cup holders, a bottle opener and other things that might come in handy at a picnic. The promotional materials also depict the Bronco Basecamp with a cloth awning and some portable furniture, but the announcement doesn’t mention them, so they will probably be listed under paid extras.
Sales of the local Ford Bronco have only recently begun in China. The first buyers who make an advance payment can option their SUV with the Basecamp package free of charge, while everybody else will have to pay 12,000 CNY extra for it.
Coming in at over five meters long, the China-spec Bronco is a full-size SUV. It can be obtained in two main versions: all-electric and plug-in hybrid. The former uses a 177-PS (175-hp / 130-kW) motor at the front and a 275-PS (271-hp / 202-kW) one at the back. The hybrid combines the 177-PS unit mentioned above with a 1.5-liter engine and a 245-PS (242-hp / 180-kW) motor at the rear axle. Although the model was announced in July, all prices are still pending.
