If you thought the spy photos and shadowy teasers came to an end after Ford finally debuted the will-it-ever appear Bronco, think again. There will be umpteen different future variants, some of which the company have already wrapped in camo for display on social media properties. The latest? An off-road-focused Bronco Raptor — or is it Warthog?
References to a certain Xbox game notwithstanding, that could very well be a name of a Bronco trim pressed into off-road duty. Eagle-eyed nerds at Motor Trend spotted the trademark filing last week, indicating the Blue Oval sought to secure the “Warthog” name for use on “Land motor vehicles – namely, passenger automobiles, pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles.”
That’s a wide net, to be sure, and doesn’t necessarily mean the word will be used as a standalone trim. After all, suits in the Glass House applied “Sasquatch” to a single option package available on the 2021 Bronco, so this filing could indicate a similar plan. Car companies are also famous for attempting to trademark names they never end up using. Still, it suggests Ford or the SVT skunkworks have something up their sleeve.
As for the vehicle itself, Ford tweeted an image this afternoon of a Bronco tearing down a dusty two-track at full chat, all four wheels off the ground and suspension at full droop. The tread pattern on those tires look suspiciously like that of BFGoodrich KO2 meats instead of the Goodyear Wranglers shown on promotional photos of 2021 Broncos equipped with the Sasquatch package.
The rest of the test mule’s body remains largely camouflaged — but is that a sensor for Ford CoPilot360 we see on the front bumper?
It’s impossible to ascertain many details about this rig’s styling decisions. Fender flares seem to poke out further than stock, suggesting an ultra-robust set of tires. If this machine is greater than 80 inches in width, those little pips on the leading edge of the fenders could be marker lights as required by federal law. The widest Bronco shown so far is the robust Wildtrak at 79.3 inches, so a stretch to 80-plus isn’t impossible.
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