2021 Small Bronco Could Be Called The Scout Or The Adventurer

One of the auto industry's favorite pastimes lately has been speculating about next year's Ford Bronco. Here's a little more speculation that combines a tidbit or two of knowledge, as well.

With the end of the week here, there has been a bit of a Ford news rush. The news is about the upcoming 2021 Bronco. There are two parts. The first part is about names that Ford has already speared and saved for the Bronco; the second part is about rumors of a Bronco pickup.

Bronco Returns After Long Absence

After an absence from its vehicle lineup of more than 30 years, the Bronco will return to the Ford lineup next year. It will be the sixth generation of the iconic SUV. Besides the Jeep series of vehicles, the Bronco was one of the first SUVs offered that pointed the way to today’s popular SUV segments.

In the first part of today’s Bronco news, we find out that the Blue Oval has trademarked at least four names for the SUV’s lineup. According to the Ford Authority (FA), Ford’s “trademark filings [provide] insight as to what the upcoming Ford Bronco may offer.”

The trademark names include:

• The Bronco Sport
• The Bronco Outer Banks
• The Bronco Big Bend
• The Bronco Scout

Name Speculation Begins

FA did some speculating about the names and what they might represent.
For example, the Bronco Sport suggests a couple of possibilities. The first is a “bare-bones entry-level trim.” Second, it could also be a “two-door body style variant.”

The Bronco Outer Banks and the Bronco Big Bend look like “some sort of river-themed application for the new off-roader,” says the group. The FA said that its “thinking is that this could suggest some sort of model variant or package for the Bronco.” The names suggest that the vehicles might even sport a lift kit and “snorkel kit.”

The earliest trademark filing for this vehicle was the Bronco Scout. The Scout could be used on the so-called “baby” Bronco, though there are other indications that the small Bronco model will be called the Bronco Adventurer. This one is still a toss-up as Ford has yet to trademark the Adventurer name.

FA Finds Recently Filed Ford Trademarks

In its research, FA has run across some other recently filed Ford trademarks. For example, there’s the Badlands, which could be for a Bronco version or it may be on an SUV that has a name other than Bronco.
Other interesting trademarks include the Adrenaline. It is a name that “would seem right at home on a high-performance model of some sort.” Meanwhile, the name Wildtrak would seem to be the right name for “a new trim level of the Ford Ranger, given that a Ranger Wildtrak is available overseas.”

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Meantime, FA believes that there is a market for a Bronco pickup. The pickup would be a front-wheel-drive, unibody-constructed vehicle. It would be a compact, four-cylinder-powered truck slotted below the Ranger. A Ford Bronco pickup is not as weird as it sounds.

When the Bronco first appeared more than 40 years ago, a pickup was part of the lineup. It featured a two-seat cab with an open bed in the rear. FA believes the pickup model would be a perfect addition as Ford seeks to build families of vehicles around iconic models. FA pointed to the planned Mustang-inspired electric crossover.

Ford Bronco Would Be A ‘No-Brainer’

It is a no-brainer and would have better name recognition for Ford fans than the Courier name. The uni-body truck would be a nice entry-level to the Ford pickup segment and target those wanting utility in a smaller, cheaper package. As part of the Bronco family, the compact truck is expected to ride on the front-wheel-drive platform used by the new Focus in Europe.”

They continued that those “frowning at the thought of a front-wheel-drive pickup should note that an all-wheel-drive version is expected. Ford has the power options for a Bronco truck with a 2.0-liter turbo inline-four available that could fit a compact truck or any of several Ford engines currently used in the Ford car range sold in Europe. A two-door, compact, cheap Bronco pickup sounds good to us.”

Follow Marc Stern, the Ford F150 Reporter for Torque News with news and tips about Ford trucks at @iraradioguy or on Facebook at mstern001. If you have a comment, please leave it below.

Sources: Ford Authority, Motor Trend, Research