All-new Ford Bronco: Beast in the country, beauty in the city

It won’t require that much time to go full speed ahead. On that long, often desolate stretch of TPLEx, the all-new Ford Bronco Outer Banks zoomed so effortlessly it was easy to lose track of the 100 kilometer/hour speed limit.

Several times this writer had to slow down not because the speed was getting uncomfortable, but quite the opposite of it. The ride was becoming even more stable and settled as the digital speedometer climbed.

A pleasant surprise for an SUV behemoth that was more than 10.5 inches wider than the Ford Everest. It was big, heavy but could run past 140kph without you noticing it. Like driving a tank that could go fast.

Never mind for a moment the Ford Bronco’s legend and how it took its place in the global pop culture. This particular unit was a head-turner, to say the least. Its immense, rugged and boxy appearance— plus the Eruption Green color—would always get the stare of admiration of motorists and pedestrians alike.

Added to the Ford Bronco lineup in 2022, Eruption Green has become one of the brand's most popular colors.

For street cred alone, it was undeniably an A-list ride.

The ride was smooth on the highways. But for generations, the Bronco has long been associated with the offroad.

This recent iteration has a grocery list of driving modes, collectively known as the G.O.A.T.  or Goes Over Any Terrain modes. It optimized the performance for a vast array of conditions: Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Sand/Snow, Baja, Mud/Ruts, Rock Crawl, among others.

At the switch of a dial, the modes adjust the suspension, transmission, traction control and throttle sensitivity.

Unfortunately, this writer didn’t get to try those features for fear of damaging such beauty. The toughest challenge the unit underwent was traversing the gravelly stretch at the far end of the Lagangilang bridge in Abra.

That portion of the road was being used by heavy trucks quarrying on the expanse of Abra river. That part of the province was epicenter of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake back in July 2022.

With Tayum, Abra parish leader Roi Molina behind the wheel.

Another hallmark of the Bronco that I didn’t get to try was the detachable hard top and doors. That could have been a cool video running at the dry river bed on a Ford Bronco like a scene from an action movie.

But taking off the top and doors is not a one-man job. And the roads leading down the rocky part of the river was off-limits because they were constructing a paved road.

Nevertheless, it was a pleasure driving the Bronco with its 10-speed automatic transmission and a powerful 2.7-liter Ecoboost V6 engine.

The particular unit I tested was a Sasquatch Package which means an upgrade on its already well-stacked features. It included 35-inch mud-terrain tires, 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, high-clearance fender flares.

The suspension was built on Bilstein position-sensitive shock absorbers which make the ride smooth. The detachable roof—divided into four panels—makes a sound while on the expressway, though.

And it takes a while to get used to the window control which was placed in the right-hand console, near the G.O.A.T. dial switch, because of the removable features.

A straightforward driver’s console.

Inside is a no-frill 12-inch touchscreen dash with several Ford Co-Pilot 360 assist features including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping, front/rear sensors and all-view cameras.

It also has 10-speaker and subwoofers sound system that can be paired with just about any smartphone.

Price tag for the particular unit: P4,998,000. — BM, GMA Integrated News