You've probably heard the good news, but the Ford Bronco is back! One of the most hyped and talked about new car debuts of 2020, the Bronco rides on over 50 years of history as an icon of the SUV and off-road world.
That iconic status is well deserved too, as the first generation Bronco remains to this day as one of the coolest SUVs in history, and a perfect example of how one should be designed. Better yet, Ford's new Bronco draws direct inspiration from that first generation, and captures that iconic spirit while modernizing it at the same time.
But one of the coolest parts of the new Bronco is the variety of special editions it comes with. That's nothing new though, as the Bronco has seen plenty of special models throughout its history, many of which you probably have either never heard of, or forgot about completely.
So read on, to see 10 special edition Broncos that most people forget about:
10 Free-Wheelin' Edition
Some vehicles are unmistakable as products of their era, the Bronco Free-Wheelin' is perhaps the best example of that as a vehicle of the late 1970s.
Part of a line of Free-Wheelin' edition trucks, including the F150, the Bronco Free-Wheelin' isn't much more than an appearance package, but an awesome one at that. Given some properly funky '70s graphics, upgraded wheels, and custom interior trim, the Free-Wheelin' Bronco is perhaps the coolest of the second generation Broncos.
9 Denver Broncos Edition
The connection here is rather obvious, sharing a name with an NFL team was bound to result in some co-branding, and the Denver Broncos edition Bronco is an excellent example of that.
With Bill Stroppe racing having gone bankrupt, a Colorado-based Ford dealer bought up all the remaining, previously mentioned, Stroppe Baja Edition Broncos. Sharing both a color scheme and name with the Denver NFL team, the Baja Broncos were modified with some NFL themed touches, but still carried all the equipment that made the original Baja Bronco such an excellent off-roader.
8 Silver Anniversary Edition
Built to celebrate the Bronco's 25th anniversary in 1991, the Silver Anniversary Bronco was a rather generic appearance package at first glance.
Fortunately, it was a properly done appearance package, with a sleek "Currant Red" coat of paint, custom leather interior, carpeting, and badges that all work together well with the fourth generation Bronco's boxy body. As well, a custom Silver Anniversary jacket, keys, and bag came with this special edition.
7 Nite Edition
One hallmark of the Bronco throughout the years has been its wild and colorful paint jobs, but the Nite edition bucked that trend and went for an all-black look.
Another appearance package, the Nite edition was only available on the 4th generation Bronco XLT. With all black paint, body trim, and interior, the Nite edition lived up to its name, with an extra touch of '90s cool thanks to the blue and purple stripe. Only 383 Nite edition Broncos were made, making it one of the rarest Broncos as well.
6 Eddie Bauer Edition
A long-running special edition that Ford has used for various cars over the years, the Eddie Bauer package was also available on the Bronco.
Introduced in the '80s, the Eddie Bauer Bronco came with a two-tone paint job, special cloth seats, wood trim, and some special badging. While not the most exciting special edition, the interior and cosmetic upgrades included with the Eddie Bauer edition makes it one of the nicer examples of the fourth generation Bronco out there.
5 U-13 Roadster
Early first-generation Broncos are now serious collector's items that sell for close to six figures at collector's auctions.
But one of the rarest, and most valuable of the first-gen Broncos are the U-13 Roadsters. Essentially a stripped-down Bronco, the U-13 Roadster came with some unique wheels and a lack of doors or a roof. Intended for areas with warm weather and little rain, only 5,000 U-13 Roadsters were made between 1966 and 1969, before their cancellation.
4 U-14 Half Cab
Another rare variation of the first-generation Bronco, the U-14 Half Cab is a Bronco pickup truck that looks absolutely awesome.
With such a simple body, it was a logical decision to make a Bronco pickup. But, the Half Cab design just works perfectly, accentuating the early Bronco's angular form, while adding a whole lot of practicality in the back. Only around 2,500 Half Cab Broncos were made per year, and only for a few years.
3 Ranger Package
While a name synonymous with Ford's small trucks today, the name "Ranger" on a Ford at one time denoted the highest end trim package available on their trucks.
Starting in 1972, the Bronco Sport was offered with the Ranger upgrade package. What you got for your money with the Bronco Ranger was a fully custom interior, with exterior color matching carpets, houndstooth pattern seats, wood trim, and other touches. As well, the exterior received some unique stripes and color options, making the Bronco Ranger stand out among other first-generation Broncos.
2 Stroppe Baja Edition
The ultimate test of an off-road vehicle, the Baja rally is a grueling 1000 mile race through the Baja California desert.
Modifying the first-generation Bronco into an extreme off-roader, Bill Stroppe racing managed to score a win in both the Baja 500 and 1000 rallies with their custom Bronco. Paying tribute to the victory in 1971, less than 650 Stroppe Baja Broncos were made, each fitted with a full suite of off-road rally upgrades by Bill Stroppe racing, as well as some awesome custom paint and bodywork.
1 Bronco II
One of the saddest chapters in the Bronco's history, the Bronco II wasn't intended as a special edition, but was such a sales flop, that it's as rare a vehicle as if it had been one.
Based on the '80s ford Ranger pickup truck, the Bronco II didn't offer much compared to the normal Bronco. Shockingly as well, the normal Bronco was still in production when the Bronco II was released in 1983, making it a questionable decision at best. Unfortunately, the Bronco II's main offering was a dangerously high rollover rate, dooming it to fade into obscurity as the original Bronco became an icon.