The Ford Bronco is a model line of SUVs manufactured and marketed by Ford. The first sport-utility vehicle developed by the company, five generations of the Bronco were sold from the 1966 to 1996 model years; a sixth generation of the model line is an upcoming vehicle to be sold for the 2021 model year. The nameplate has been used on other Ford SUVs, including the 1984-1990 Ford Bronco II compact SUV and the Ford Bronco Sport compact CUV.
Originally developed as a compact off-road vehicle using its own chassis, the Bronco initially competed against the Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout. For 1978, Ford enlarged the Bronco, making it a short-wheelbase version of the F-Series pickup truck; the full-size Bronco competed against the Chevrolet K5 Blazer and Dodge Ramcharger.
Following a decline in demand for large two-door SUVs, Ford discontinued the Bronco after the 1996 model year, replacing it with the four-door Ford Expedition (and the larger Ford Excursion). After a 25-year hiatus, the sixth-generation Bronco is a mid-size SUV for the first time, competing directly against the Jeep Wrangler as both a two-door and a four-door convertible.
From 1965 to 1996, the Ford Bronco was manufactured by Ford at its Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, Michigan, where it will also manufacture the sixth-generation version.
Fifth generation (1991-1996)
For the 1992 model year, the fifth-generation Bronco followed the design development of the ninth-generation Ford F-150. Again retaining the chassis introduced for the 1980 model year, the front fascia of the Bronco adopted additional aerodynamic revisions. While designed with a larger grille, front bumper, and headlight units, the front fascia was given a slightly rounded design.
Model changes
The interior again saw updates to the dashboard and instrument panel, with the addition of leather front seats as an option for XLT and Eddie Bauer trims as well as optional remote keyless entry with an anti-theft alarm. Maroon and blue leather seats were offered from 1992 through the end of production. After having power windows and locks as an option throughout the 1980s, power mirrors were offered for the first time for 1992. For 1996, the Ford Bronco became the first Ford vehicle to incorporate turn signal lights into its side mirrors.
The fifth generation introduced additional changes related to safety. 4-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS) replaced rear-wheel ABS for 1993, with a driver-side airbag introduced for 1994. The body redesign added a front crumple zone to the body and a center-mounted brake light to the hardtop; the hardtop was now the mounting point of 3-point seatbelts for the rear seats.
In the aftermath of the safety upgrades, the Bronco was no longer able to be marketed as a lift-off hardtop (from a legal standpoint). While still physically possible, the hardtop contained the upper mounts to the rear-seat seatbelts and the wiring to the center brake light. To discourage owners from doing so, Ford removed all literature in the vehicle owner's manual related to the removal of the hardtop. To further inhibit its removal, Ford secured the hardtop in place with Torx "tamper proof" bolts (requiring special tools to remove).
Powertrain
The fifth-generation Bronco carried over the previous 4.9L inline-6, 5.0L V8, and the 5.8L H.O. V8 engines from the previous generation. For 1994, the Bronco became powered solely by V8 engines, as the 4.9L inline-6 was withdrawn from the model line. For 1996, the two V8 powertrains became OBD-II compliant.
Special editions
The monochrome Nite edition was again available, though 1992 was its last offering. Monochrome paint versions were reintroduced from 1993 (1994 model) to 1996, as the XLT Sport variant of the Bronco available in black, red, or white. Another variant of the XLT was a two-tone light teal green and white (charcoal gray interior); approximately 600 were produced each year.
The Eddie Bauer outdoors-themed edition made its return, offered from 1992 to 1996. Again combining nearly every option for the Bronco with a trim-specific exterior and interior combination, the Bronco Eddie Bauer introduced an overhead console for 1994 along with lighted sun visors and an auto-dimming rearview mirror (both offered as option on the XLT). For 1995, the Eddie Bauer saw the addition of front bumper vents (added to the XLT for 1996).
Discontinuation
The last fifth-generation Bronco built rolled off the Wayne, Michigan assembly line on June 12, 1996. According to Ford, the discontinuation of the model line was unrelated to any stigma created from the O.J. Simpson police chase, as sales of the model line had been in decline previous to the incident. To better compete with the Chevrolet/GMC Suburban and the Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon, Ford introduced the Ford Expedition for 1997 to replace the Bronco.
Following the lineage of the 1978-1996 Bronco, the Expedition was derived from the tenth-generation F-150, but shifted from a two-door body with a lift-off hardtop to a five-door wagon/SUV body, slotted above the Ranger-based Ford Explorer.
O.J. Simpson chase
The Ford Bronco gained notoriety on June 17, 1994, when a white 1993 Bronco XLT carrying O.J. Simpson was followed in a low-speed police chase on Interstate 405, ending in his eventual surrender. The incident was shown on television worldwide, with approximately 95 million Americans watching live.
Source: Wikipedia
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