Ford has filed a pair of new trademarks that could possibly hint at the Bronco’s trim names.
Details surrounding the Ford Bronco are slowly trickling out. An earlier leak revealed that not only would the Bronco share the Ford Ranger’s chassis, it would also share the mid-size pickup’s 2.3-L turbocharged EcoBoost engine. That makes anywhere between 270 and 300 horsepower, depending on the Ford model you find it in.
Spy photos also reveal large off-road tires and a lifted suspension, at least when compared to the Ranger.
Now we have some new data points to add to the Bronco mystery. Ford Authority uncovered a pair of trademarks filed to the US Patent and Trademark Office last week that could reveal the Bronco’s trim names. Both trademarks are for use on “land motor vehicles, namely, passenger automobiles, pick-up trucks, and sport utility vehicles,” and both have the word “Bronco” in the name, so there’s no question as to which Ford model these trademarks will be for.
The first trademark is “Bronco Outer Banks” and the second is “Bronco Big Bend.” Both are names of fairly famous rivers in the United States. We might be jumping to conclusions a bit, but two river-themed names are enough to identify a pattern.
It’s possible that Ford will adopt a series of different rivers as trim names for the upcoming Bronco SUV. Or these could indicate different package options for dealing with river crossings, including items such as snorkels, suspension lifts, and even specialized water-crossing tires. Maybe even one Bronco will be fully amphibious.
That’s probably getting a little too ambitious for Ford but never hurts to dream.
We don’t expect to see the Ford Bronco arrive until 2021 after the smaller Ford Bronco Scout has already arrived. Spy photos of the Scout just recently popped up, and it definitely looks unique compared to other Ford SUVs.