The 2021 Ford Bronco won’t enter production until next spring, though that hasn’t stopped tuners from offering V8 conversions. Hennessey was one of the most recent companies to announce such an upgrade – a 750-horsepower supercharged 5.0-liter V8. It’s a big upgrade, though we expect cheaper, less powerful conversions to come. Ford, on the other hand, doesn’t even know if its 5.0-liter Coyote V8 will fit under the off-roader’s hood.
Eric Loeffler, the Bronco’s chief engineer, told Ford Authority in a recent interview that Ford hasn’t “even looked” at whether the Coyote V8 fits in the new SUV. The Bronco has two available engines – a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder or a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6. The smaller mill makes 270 horsepower (201 kilowatts) and 310 lb-ft (420 Newton-meters) of torque, while the V6 produces 310 hp (231 kW) and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm) of torque. Both pair to a tuned 10-speed automatic gearbox.
The news isn’t surprising. Ford said back in September that a V8-powered Bronco wouldn’t happen due to tightening emissions regulations. However, that doesn’t mean tuners can’t fill that void. It was mere days after the Bronco was revealed in July when word of Pax Power’s $30,000 upgrade ricocheted around the internet. The pricey upgrade requires purchasing another 10-speed gearbox due to the Bronco’s programming. Even the off-roader’s ECU could pose problems for tuners. Ford has tight cybersecurity features on the Bronco for its over-the-air updates.
Bronco sales won’t begin until next year, which means we’ll be waiting to see a V8 under its hood. Ford’s confident the EcoBoost V6 will satisfy customers with its combination of power and efficiency. However, there will be a handful who want something bigger and more powerful, and the tuners are there to supply that. It just won’t be cheap. The $30,000 Power Pax upgrade is expensive. The Hennessey Bronco is $225,000 to start, though the company will build just 24 examples.
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