Ford Teases All-New Bronco Off-Roader, Will Offer Hybrid Versions Of Mustang, F-150 And Explorer

The Bronco was announced for production in early 2017 alongside the all-new Ranger. The Ranger has already been revealed in production form and will soon be hitting dealer lots. At the time, it was expected that the Bronco would simply be a rebadged Everest SUV (which Ford sells in other global markets), but the teaser image below clearly shows that this is something completely different. This is an upright, boxy vehicle that harkens back to the original Bronco from the 1970s. In addition, it could give the all-new Jeep Wrangler a run for its money when it comes to off-roading. We're crossing our fingers on this one...

In addition, Ford will roll-out a new small SUV that will also be off-road capable. Given that most SUVs these days cater to those that will remain on pavement 99 percent of the time, it's nice to see that Ford is still willing to cater to those that like to sling mud (and rocks).

Moving on, Ford has big plans to further electrify its vehicle lineup. In fact, the company will have no less than eight SUVs by the year 2020, and five of them will offer a hybrid powertrain option (including the Bronco); one of them will be a full-electric vehicle.

Two of those hybrid SUVs will arrive next year in the form of the fully redesigned Explorer and Escape. Both models are currently rather long in the tooth, so the timing is right for their replacements. Ford says that offering hybrid versions of these vehicles will "serve as a hedge for customers against higher gas prices".

There will be two additional hybrid variants of popular Ford models: the Mustang and the best-selling F-150 pickup truck. On the Mustang, the hybrid option will be "all about delivering V8-like performance with more low-end torque" while the F-150 Hybrid will add more low-end torque and pulling power (in addition to serving as a mobile generator).

“Hybrids for years have been mostly niche products but are now on the cusp of a mainstream breakout,” said Jim Farley, Ford president, Global Markets. “The valuable capability they offer – plus fuel efficiency – is why we’re going to offer hybrid variants of our most popular and high-volume vehicles, allowing our loyal, passionate customers to become advocates for the technology.”