The feud between Ford and Jeep for off-roading supremacy has simmered down in the past month or so, following Ford's all-out blitz to ramp the buying public up on the newly revived Bronco. After taking Broncos out for testing on the Rubicon Trail and around the Moab region of Utah, Ford received a ton of coverage. Pre-orders may be delayed up to 18 months, however, and plenty of Jeep fans are sitting happily knowing that their off-roaders don't have independent front suspension and also benefit from an extensive aftermarket community with years (if not decades) of experience with the ubiquitous Wrangler. Perhaps Ford needs to get things revved up again, which would explain why Ultra4 racer Loren Healy recently got a chance to play in the dunes behind the wheel of a new Bronco.
The Verdict
In a lengthy post on Instagram, Healy praised the Bronco's abilities straight from the factory saying, "I’m so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to spend the day in Johnson Valley with some of the Bronco engineers and durability testing team. All of us future Bronco owners are in for a huge treat! I had expectations going into this, but my mind was 100% blown by the capabilities of this vehicle. I would describe it as a mix of a Raptor, early Bronco, and a SXS all in one. It absolutely rips in the open desert, but is very nimble and agile, and works as good in the rocks as any other stock vehicle on 33’s or 35’s that I have ever driven! Ford really has one upped everyone with the new Bronco, and I’m very confident in saying the bar has been raised!"
This Guy Knows His Stuff
Healy made his name in off-roading when he won the grueling King of the Hammers competition in 2010. Since then, he's also won the KoH again in 2014, as well as earned recognition as the 2014 Dirt Sports Driver of the Year. For 2020, the Ultra4 racer has switched teams and received sponsorship from Ford, with his rig now bearing Bronco badging for team Fun Haver. With 780 horsepower on tap, a single seat, and 20 inches of suspension travel, his rig is on a whole different level from the production Bronco, but Healy nonetheless sounds like he enjoyed getting behind the wheel of the new SUV.
Sources: instagram.com, bronco6g.com, and drivingline.com.