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Spring kicks off the huge off-roading season in Utah, with Moab as the center of the trail driving universe. Ford and its reinvigorated Bronco is big news in the off-road community. This year, the Blue Oval is debuting two project vehicles, highlighting its commitment to enjoying the beauty of the great outdoors. If you haven’t been to Moab lately, you may have missed Ford’s investment in the off-roading community. Ford has set up an area known as Bronco Off-Roadeo Moab. Now, the purchase of any Bronco, Bronco Sport, or Bronco Raptor model includes an opportunity to go to the Off-Roadeo experience. Once there, experts teach owners of all skill levels how to off-road responsibly. The trail driving education is important so drivers don’t harm the spectacular scenery and the often fragile rock formations.
Bronco Off-Roadeo Vehicles Show Personalization Potential
The Ford Bronco is designed to excel in difficult to reach terrain. The two project vehicles emphasize the Bronco’s ability to navigate the different trails while also soaking in the beauty and the sunshine. Ford joins other automakers in offering a huge catalogue of ways to customize a vehicle, from special paint and graphics to more functional accessories like special doors, roof rails and wheels.
The first Bronco concept is called the Bronco Off-Roadeo Arches Project Vehicle. It is the Bronco shown on the right in the photo. The rich, deep red paint color is a tribute to the red rock arches found in the Moab area and at nearby Arches National Park. The Arches vehicle builds off the Bronco Badlands four-door. Designers say it was envisioned as an all-around option for taking five people on Moab’s difficult trails. The Badlands trim is already very popular on the Bronco and the Arches version shows how it can be customized to achieve the driver’s goals.
The second Bronco Off-Roadeo concept, on the left in the photo, is called the Cliffhanger Project Vehicle. This two-door Bronco is specially adapted to conquer more extreme technical off-road obstacles. The Cliffhanger rides on monster 40-inch BFGoodrich Baja T/A Evo 3.0S tires and Fox Live Valve shocks. Together, the upgrades help provide more ground clearance and more maneuverability. The 18-inch beadlock-capable wheels, custom fender flares and wheel arches help the Cliffhanger overcome nearly any trail. Even from a distance, the Cliffhanger looks formidable.
Moab, Utah is the Epicenter of Off-roading
Both the Off-Roadeo Arches and Off-Roadeo Cliffhanger were built to celebrate the Moab area and Ford’s off-roading facility called Bronco Off-Roadeo Moab. As I mentioned previously the Off-Roadeo experience teaches owners of all skill levels how to off-road responsibly. The Moab area is best known for the Arches National Park. Cliffhanger is a grueling off-road trail south of the city. The road to Cliffhanger passes by some of the petroglyphs that inspired the Bronco design team.
The colors for both concepts are inspired by Moab’s iconic red rock. Code Orange accents, including on the beadlock rings and trail sights, complement the vibrant color combination. The Bronco design team gave both concepts open roofs to enjoy the incredible scenery. The Cliffhanger project has Ford Performance tube doors so passengers can be even closer to the great outdoors. Graphics on the vehicles’ interiors represent some of the petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock and Horseshoe Canyon.
Ford Investing in Preserving the Trails
Anyone who has traveled to Utah knows that that Moab has some of the more stunning scenery in America. Ford is working to preserve the natural beauty by investing in the Bronco Wild Fund and Tread Lightly. Ford wants off-roaders to enjoy the sport responsibly and not damage the often-fragile natural beauty.
Off-roading season will soon be in full swing. Ford intends to be a key player in the outdoor community and is designing vehicles to meet the needs of dedicated off-roaders.
Ford Photo
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.
Follow Mary Conway at @MaryConwayMedia and send her car news tips for future stories.
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