The Ford Bronco Through the Years
The trailblazing SUV started small, but then bulked up before fading away. Now, it's coming back.
Back in the mid-1960s, Ford needed another blockbuster hit following the success of the wildly popular Mustang. Ford’s research showed that many people were buying surplus World War II jeeps, but the company figured that buyers wanted more creature comforts than the crude military vehicles provided. Hence, the Bronco was created — a pioneering model that the company referred to as a “sports-utility vehicle.”
The goal for the Bronco was to deliver a better combination of on- and off-road performance, as well as a more civilized ride, compared with the military vehicles, including the company's own M-51 (aka military utility vehicle or Mutt). Indeed, Ford’s press materials at the time said the new Bronco was “equally at home on rugged mountain grades or on a run to the shopping center.” That description evokes the internal project name G.O.A.T., an acronym for "Goes Over Any Terrain."
Ford saw “the market for utility vehicles [growing] from slightly more than 11,000 in 1960 to more than 40,000 [in 1965].” The company predicted that expansion to reach “70,000 by 1970.” Now, SUVs sell in the millions and have a bigger piece of the market than cars.
These early SUVs were so spartan that some models didn't have a heater or radio.
From the first model in 1966 to its final production run at the end of 1996, the Bronco grew in size, horsepower, and sophistication. And while the mainstream acceptance of SUVs as daily drivers didn’t fully come online until the late 1990s, Ford (and a few other companies) were definitely ahead of the game envisioning the broad appeal of these vehicles.
As we’re on the cusp of the debut of an all-new Bronco, we reflect back on the history of this storied nameplate …
