It’s been called the “Baby Bronco” ever since it was just in the automotive rumor mill, but the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is a pretty capable SUV. How could you finally make it look the part? Same way we always do, Pinky: Big off-road rubber.
Kristopher Serrano of ALPHAequipt Wheels posted a Bronco Sport Outer Banks on smaller 17-inch wheels in the Ford Bronco 2021 Facebook group, and it made The Drive’s staff do a double-take.
The fatter meats completely transform the boxy Jeep Compass fighter into something that looks more like what the modern-day Explorer should have been.
The wheels themselves are 17×7.5 ALPHAequipt Foxtrots shod with 245/65R17 tires. The wheels also feature dual valves for adjusting tire pressures for off-road use.
According to Serrano, it doesn’t rub at its stock ride height and doesn’t mess with the speedometer, although the thicker tires visually fill out the wheel wells so nicely you may want a lift anyway, especially if you’re using these tires for their intended purpose. While the lack of a change in the speedometer suggests that the overall diameter is nearly the same as stock, a little extra ground clearance couldn’t hurt. (Please stop me from going full “Safari All the Cars” mode before I spend all afternoon talking about crossovers with snorkels, though. Thanks.)
Given how the Bronco Sport is Ford’s answer to the likes of the Subaru Forester, it’s about time we started seeing some Baby Broncos with bigger sidewalls—and hopefully more. Just a few key mods can take a crossover from mall zero to trail hero, too, so let’s see some good custom Bronco Sport builds.
Are you modding up a Bronco Sport or something else that’s relevant to our interests? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com