Sometime in August, there were already reports that the 2016 Ford Bronco was very unlikely and that the earliest that the American carmaker could release the latest iteration to its iconic brand will be in 2019.
However, less than a month later, the 2016 Ford Bronco has gotten back in circulation and is now being reported by a number of online news sites as a real thing, contrary to previous reports that the vehicle was a hoax and is merely a by-product of a 2014 April Fool’s Day joke that got blown out of proportion.
Latest reports indicate that Ford will announce the official release date of the 2016 Ford Bronco at the 2016 Detroit Car Show set for January next year, reports Christian Today.
It is possible that Ford will put up either an actual concept of the 2016 Ford Bronco during the auto show or the carmaker will just showcase concept photos to show to people how the vehicle will look like both inside and out.
Accordingly, the 2016 Ford Bronco will retain the rugged look of its predecessors while updating the aesthetics with a touchscreen display and other modern utilities such as power-adjustable seats.
Other desirable interior features of the SUV include its wide luggage space behind the back seats and ample leg space for the added convenience of its passengers.
An excellent competitor
The Christian Post notes that when the 2016 Ford Bronco finally comes out around the second half of next year, it will be a most befitting competition for the Nissan Xterra.
Depending on the kind of accessories and its trim levels, reports now have it that 2016 Ford Bronco will have a retail price of between $24,000 to $31,000. But the American carmaker has yet to confirm both the price range and the release date of the vehicle so those two main facets of the reports should be taken with a grain of salt for now.
While reports about its main specifications are still speculations at this time, one of the 2016 Ford Bronco variants has been reported to sport a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine with a muscle strength of 420 horsepower.
But there is also the 4.9-liter Powerstroke diesel V6 engine boasting of 330 horsepower of maximum power and 645 pound-feet of torque. Then there is also the option for a 5.8-liter supercharged V8 engine that is capable of generating 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque, which is to be the most powerful variant of the 2016 Ford Bronco.
Speculations going around also indicate that the vehicle’s transmission will feature a choice of either a 6R140 six-speed automatic or a ZF 6-speed manual transmission.
The last official word
While there has been no official statement or pronouncement from Ford about the 2016 Ford Bronco, the last official word about the vehicle from the American carmaker was way back in 2004 when it showcased the Ford Bronco concept at the New York International Auto Show then.
It also does not help the cause of the 2016 Ford Bronco when all of sudden, reports about the 2017 Ford Bronco started coming out, which somehow validated that the first vehicle, as much as the second one, is just a rumor.
However, subsequent reports indicated that Ford is indeed contemplating on developing the Bronco and with the timeframe it mentioned, it practically throw the 2016 Ford Bronco rumors out the window.
Accordingly, the American carmaker is looking to expand its family of off-roaders with a new Ranger and the Bronco, last seen out in the market more than 20 years ago, not counting the concept car it showed in 2004.
Ford executives are said to be seriously considering bringing the Ranger pickup truck back to the United States because the F-150, which is considered as the company’s bread-and-butter model, has evolved to become bigger and most expensive. Apparently, the American carmaker wants a pickup truck that will compete with the level of other brands including the Chevrolet Colorado, the Toyota Tacoma among others currently in the US market.