Earlier today we caught our first glimpse of the 2021 Ford Bronco’s mostly-uncovered interior. There’s a nice large screen, some plastic panels masquerading as metal, and chunky control knobs that look right at home in an off-road vehicle. Pretty standard fare. But a closer look at the high-res shots confirms a few key rumors about the Bronco: It’ll have front and rear locking differentials and a form of brake-based off-road turn assist, just as we speculated back in May.
A series of buttons located directly above the fancy screen gives us an idea that the new Bronco means business when it comes to tearing up trails. From left to right, the buttons clearly show icons for a front locking diff, rear locking diff, and the turn assist function. Locking differentials are to be expected in a truck that’s taking aim at the Jeep Wrangler, but that third button really catches our attention, because it means the Bronco will possess the ability to make incredibly sharp turns when navigating tight, tricky situations.
Found in capable vehicles like the Toyota Land Cruiser, off-road turn assist basically locks the inside rear tire when turning left or right. This magic happens courtesy of the vehicle’s electronic braking system, which pulses the brakes to that specific tire only to help the driver complete the turn. If you’re turning left, the system will apply the brakes to the left rear tire. If you’re turning right, the system will do the same to the right rear tire.
The video below by Bronco Nation on YouTube shows exactly what we’re talking about here, at around 0:26. It should be cued into the right spot when you press play:
On the video you can see how as the Bronco turns left, that rear tire is momentarily dragged through the mud in order to achieve a shorter turning radius, and therefore a sharper turn through the narrow trail. Other videos like this one below show how the inside tire works its magic to help a behemoth like a Land Cruiser make a tight turn.
There’s one more button that we haven’t discussed here, which is found to the right of the traction control switch: the hazards (or flashers). Judging by how many times I’ve seen cars parked on a busy street or pulled over on the side of the road quite dangerously, I’m gonna assume that most folks don’t know what they’re actually for, but don’t you worry, the Bronco is equipped with them anyway.
After years and years of teasers, the 2021 Ford Bronco will finally be revealed to the world on Monday, July 13 at 8:00 p.m. EST. Make sure to follow us from now until then to get all the juicy details.
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