The Ford Bronco Filson Is a Dressage Horse

The Ford Bronco was built to get dirty, but that doesn’t mean it can’t do it with a little class. Ford has collaborated with outdoor clothing company Filson on a new version of the SUV that dips its hooves into the luxury segment.The 2027 Bronco Filson was the product of serendipity, according to Ford’s head SUV designer, Paul Wraith. At the model’s reveal event, Mr. Wraith explained that during the development of the current-generation Bronco, which launched in 2021, his department had a mood board featuring images of Filson goods for inspiration. When it connected with Filson on a potential partnership, it learned that the team there had one with classic Broncos on it.“Although we hadn’t met, we were kind of already on the same page,” said Mr. Wraith. The Bronco Filsonis intended to compete with premium SUVs like the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defender without sacrificing its off-road capability.Styling touches include unique grille and wheel designs; a painted body color roof and fender flares, instead of the standard black plastic parts; and a Bronco Filson-branded cover for the spare tire on the tailgate.Ford added a power side step that presents itself like a stirrup to help passengers enter the vehicle, then tucks away when it gets moving to preserve its high ground clearance on rough terrain.Filson designed removable storage bags that attach to the Bronco’s roll cage frame. FordThe interior is dressed in materials and colors that mimic those used by Filson. It is upholstered and trimmed in quilted leather and sturdy cloth and has an olive, black and brass motif. Saddlebag style storage pouches are installed in the doors and two removable bags are designed to strap into the roll cage in the cargo area.The model is the first Bronco with ventilated front seats and a digital rearview mirror, which can switch between a reflective surface and a video feed from behind the vehicle, is included to help the driver see out the back past cargo and the spare tire, which encroaches on the window.“The mission was: bring more premium attributes, but do it consistent with the essence of the Bronco,” said Chief Program Engineer Ed Krenz. Although it looks structurally similar to the other models, the Bronco Filson has a stiffer chassis, a more compliant suspension, additional sound insulation and improved seals to lower the wind noise created by its boxy profile and removable roof panels. “Reducing the cabin noise was a tremendous priority,” said Mr. Krenz.The Bronco Filson was engineered to deliver a higher level of comfort and refinement than other Bronco models. FordDespite its more patrician guise, the Bronco Filson is outfitted as a serious off-roader with protective metal bumpers and skid plates, towering 35-inch knobby tires and a fully locking 4×4 system for maximum traction on slippery surfaces and steep climbs. There’s plenty of power to manage.“The heartbeat of the vehicle is the engine, and we felt like it needed a strong heartbeat,” Mr. Krenz said of the decision to borrow the biggest and most powerful Bronco engine from the high-performance Raptor model. It is a turbocharged 3,0-liter V6 that is rated at 418 horsepower in the Bronco Raptor model, but has been retuned to better fit the Bronco Filson’s personality.Ford trimmed the cabin in materials inspired by Filson’s clothing and outdoor goods. FordFord hasn’t released the final power rating, nor has it yet said how much the Bronco Filson will cost when deliveries begin early next year. Nevertheless, the Bronco Raptor starts at $80,000 and has a radically redesigned suspension for high-speed off-road driving, so it should list for significantly less than that.Wherever the price ends up, the Bronco Filson team interned to create an SUV that owners will treat like an heirloom, as many people do with Filson’s outerwear and bags. So don’t be surprised to see one ending up in the garage of a designer working on another product decades from now.

The Ford Bronco Filson Is a Dressage Horse

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