The Ford Bronco R prototype is a Baja 1000-ready race vehicle built by Ford Performance and Geiser Bros Design and Development to preview the production Bronco's capabilities and pay tribute to Rod Hall's legendary 1969 Baja 1000 overall victory. Built on a prototype platform that previews the production Bronco's twin-turbocharged EcoBoost engine and independent suspension architecture, the Bronco R represents Ford's most serious off-road racing statement in decades.
Why Ford Built the Bronco R
The Bronco R was created specifically to honour the 50th anniversary of Rod Hall and Larry Minor's 1969 Baja 1000 victory, the only time a four-wheeled vehicle has won the race overall. Ford Performance worked with Geiser Bros Design and Development and Baja trophy truck champion Cameron Steele to build a prototype that could run the full 1,000-mile course. Rod Hall's granddaughter, Shelby Hall, drove the car for portions of the 2019 race in her grandfather's honour.
Design: Baja Proportions and First-Gen Bronco DNA
The Bronco R features an ultra-wide stance and compressed body height derived from its long-travel suspension requirements. The lightweight composite body, including a clamshell hood and roof, references the design language of the first-generation Bronco from 1966 to 1977. The race livery is drawn directly from Rod Hall's winning 1969 vehicle, tying the modern prototype visually to its historical precedent.
Suspension and Mechanical Specifications
The Bronco R prototype uses an independent front suspension with 14 inches of travel and a production-based five-link rear chassis with up to 18 inches of suspension travel. Custom Fox shocks manage damping at both ends. The car rolls on 17-inch beadlock-capable aluminium wheels wrapped in 37-inch BFGoodrich tyres. Ford Performance parts and Geiser Bros engineering are present throughout the drivetrain and chassis.
The 2019 Baja 1000 and What the Bronco R Tells Us About the Production Car
The Bronco R entered the 2019 SCORE Baja 1000 but did not finish, suffering a broken lower control arm and other endurance-related failures. Despite the DNF, the programme demonstrated the viability of the production Bronco's EcoBoost engine and five-link rear suspension architecture under genuine race conditions. The prototype's body style and proportions previewed the production Bronco that eventually launched in 2021, confirming Ford's commitment to maintaining the original Bronco's boxy, utilitarian character.
Explore rugged performance vehicles at TheArsenale, including the 71' Half Cab Bronco custom build, off-road specialists from Mil-Spec Automotive, and extreme off-road vehicles by Rezvani Motors. For technical details on the Bronco R, see the official Ford Media press release and the overview at NetCarShow.
