Bring Back Bronco: The Untold Story

By: Ford Motor Company
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  • Summary

  • This is the story of a truck and the story of a country. The Ford Bronco is one of the most beloved brands in American automotive history. But when the last one rolled off the assembly line in Wayne, Michigan on June 12th, 1996, it was the end of the brand, and the start of a lot of questions. Sonari Glinton goes on the road trip of a lifetime to find out why Ford killed the Bronco and meets the passionate fans and team of Ford employees who went underground to bring it back. This 8-part serial is a fifty-year odyssey of blood, sweat, and dirt. It takes you from the dizzying heights of the post-war boom, to the most watched police chase in American television history and this year’s rebirth of the Bronco.
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Episodes
  • Introducing Bring Back Bronco: The Untold Story

    Introducing Bring Back Bronco: The Untold Story
    Jul 22 2020
    The rise, fall, and rebirth of the Ford Bronco is a metaphor for the last 50 years in America. The boxy little 4x4 represents the arc of American history dating back to the 1960’s. The emergence of the Bronco really lines up with a whole new era of America. You've got the baby boomer generation coming into their own, you've got the women's liberation movement, you've got the civil rights movement. All of these things are sort of happening in the 1960s. In the 1970’s the Bronco was unapologetically big and boisterous. Then in the 1990’s OJ Simpson and the Slow White Bronco Chase transformed the brand from rugged… to notorious. Then suddenly… it disappeared. Fans never got answers as to why. So that’s what we are going to find out. But the Bronco didn’t die – it just went ‘underground.’ It became the obsession of a select group of mercenaries inside Ford that fought and schemed their way through the bureaucratic maze, to keep the dream alive. It was an uphill struggle that would take almost 20 years. Join us on this wild ride. An 8-part serial uncovering 50 years of blood, sweat, and dirt. This is Bring Back Bronco – the untold story.
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    2 mins
  • 1 - The American Dream – 1965 to 1969

    1 - The American Dream – 1965 to 1969
    Aug 10 2020

    Who is the father of the Bronco?

    More than any other product, cars reflect the state of the world at the time they’re created. Think about it. You can look at a car from the 1950’s, with its giant fins and oversized engine, and know a lot about that time in history. Likewise, a fuel efficient, aerodynamic compact car will convey information about the 1980’s. So, what does the Bronco tell us about 1966, the year it was officially released?

    We go back to 1963 the year of the first sketch and ask the question, “What problem was the Bronco built to solve?” Why did WW2 veterans clamor for the first run of Broncos?

    The Bronco was created to be a truck you can take off-roading in the morning and drive to the opera in at night. It was a hybrid of rugged freedom, and practical quality. But getting it from a design sketch book to a dealership lot, took sacrifice and bravery.

    But who gets the gold star? Who was the person that gave the go ahead to actually start building Broncos?

    For more information on the Bronco's early years, check out broncopodcast.ford.com
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    34 mins
  • 2 - Cracks in the Pavement – 1967 to 1978

    2 - Cracks in the Pavement – 1967 to 1978
    Aug 10 2020

    Was the Bronco built for a good time? Or a long time?

    In every crime show, there’s a period of time early in the story where everything seems to be fine, but there’s also an underlying feeling of dread. You feel like something bad is going to happen, even though there’s no obvious sign of it. For the Ford Bronco, that’s 1967.

    The first decade of the Bronco is a study in contrasts. The brand was popular, but sales were low. Ford wanted to own the segment, but never updated the vehicle. In the wake of the 1972 oil crisis, customers were demanding more fuel-efficient vehicles, yet the Bronco was losing market share to a bigger, more powerful competitor. This leads many to wonder if the Bronco can survive.

    Are these just bumps in the road? Or is this the beginning of the end?

    For more details on the obstacles the Bronco faced check out broncopodcast.ford.com
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    31 mins

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