Ford is planning another collaboration to illustrate a vehicle’s toughness. This time the Ford Bronco will debut a special Filson edition. I reported recently on a similar collaboration between the Ford Super Duty truck and Carhartt. Ford is referring to the Bronco and Filson partnership as “Unfailing Meets Built Wild”. Filson is a well-known outdoor outfitter. You probably have seen their rugged hats and jackets. Ford is teasing the tie-up with a picture of the spare tire cover and a jacket. We’ll see the whole vehicle on June 3, when the Bronco Filson SUV is unveiled.
Collaborations like this are smart for the auto companies because it gives them a way to make a vehicle that isn’t being refreshed or redesigned look different, brighter and newer.
The Ford Bronco Filson SUV
Ford is not releasing any details or specifics about the new Bronco trim, just that it will be rugged, capable and ready to head to the back country for hunting or fishing.
Dave Rivers, head of Ford enthusiast brands, said in a statement, “When we first started talking about Bronco and Filson working together, it never felt forced. It felt familiar — like we already speak the same language. Both of our brands serve people who absolutely depend on their gear, whether they’re behind the wheel or out in the elements. So this didn’t feel like a new collaboration. It just felt natural.”
Neil Morgan, VP of sales and brand partnerships at Filson, agreed. “That’s exactly how we saw it. Filson has been around for nearly 130 years, and we’ve always made things for people who go where there are no roads. When the idea of a collaboration came up, we both knew right away this wasn’t going to be about just slapping a logo on a quarter panel. It had to be authentic. It had to serve our customers in a real, tangible way.”
“Because flash fades. Utility doesn’t lie. You can’t fake a jacket that’s been through the brush, and you can’t fake a Bronco that’s conquered a trail. We weren’t interested in making something that just looks like it belongs outside. We wanted to build something that actually thrives there.”
Ford and Filson Have Partnered Before
Ford and the Seattle-based outdoor outfitter have teamed up on the Bronco before. In 2020, the two companies outfitted a Bronco for firefighting. The Bronco × Filson Wildland Fire Rig was a purpose-built vehicle to honor wildland firefighters and support the National Forest Foundation in preserving our public lands for future generations. Filson also created a special line of limited-edition outdoor gear to help fund reforestation and forest preservation. The Fire Rig drew a lot of interest from Bronco fans.
Morgan said, “That rig really set the standard for what we could do together. At Filson, we have a very simple filter for partnerships: Would we be embarrassed if this thing showed up in the field and failed? If the answer is yes, we walk away. "Unfailing" isn’t just a tagline for us, it’s the baseline. And Bronco cleared the bar easily.”
Rivers says the new Bronco Filson SUV will reflect the two companies shared values. “That shared respect for the wild is really what drives this new chapter for us. When people get behind the wheel of the new Bronco Filson, they’re going to immediately recognize it for its American craftsmanship, rugged design, and pioneering capability. For us, that’s what defines a truly premium vehicle.”
Morgan added, “It’s not about a zip code or a job title. It’s the architect who fishes. The rancher who reads. The contractor who hunts. What connects them isn’t where they live, it’s how they think. They’re drawn to the outdoors, and they want things that hold up. They have zero interest in stuff that pretends.
“We don’t let history make our decisions for us. Heritage has to earn its place by being useful today, not just decorative. Every material, every stitch, every detail on this vehicle had to serve a purpose, or it didn’t make the cut. History is the context, but it's not the product.”
The redesigned Bronco came back to the market in 2021. Since then Ford has added more off-road editions including a Bronco Raptor. The new Filson edition will debut on Ford’s YouTube channel on June 3rd at 9 p.m. Eastern and 6 p.m. Pacific. The Bronco Filson will probably be a 2027 model.
Images by Ford
About the Author
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 at @MaryConwayMedia on X and on Facebook, and send her car news tips for future stories. Mary Conway is an esteemed automotive and business reporter who was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame in 2019. Mary is a member of the Automotive Press Association, Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, Society of Professional Journalists, and NATAS.
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