Ford allegedly had plans to revive the Bronco after his long sleep since the production version was discontinued in mid-1996. Let’s look at the Bronco history to refresh our memories, respectively. The Ford Bronco has been introduced for the first time in 1966 in the form of a two-door sport utility vehicle with a front engine layout to beat its main rivals in the small compact SUV segment, including Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout.

Thirty years later, Ford has decided to stop production of the legendary Bronco SUVs in mid-1996 due to market trends prefer four-door passenger vehicle at that time. And to answer the market demand, the Dearborn automaker decided to launch the Ford Expedition in the same year to replace the Bronco. The first-generation Expedition targeted to compete in the full-size SUV segment with some of its rivals, including the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban and GMC Yukon.

Eight years later, the Blue Oval Company showcased the new Bronco concept for the first time at the 2004 Detroit Auto Show. The Ford Bronco concept carries a 2.0-liter intercooled four-cylinder turbodiesel engine mated to an Intelligent 4WD system and six-speed PowerShift manual transmission. The 2.0L turbodiesel engine capable of developing 128 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 244 lb-ft of torque at 1,800 rpm. The Bronco concept featuring short wheelbase, round headlamps and box-like roofline.

Unfortunately, Ford was never even brought the Bronco production version to the dealership floor after its concept version introduced in Detroit eight years ago. Instead, Ford decided to launch the third-generation 2013 Escape compact crossover at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and Bronco project was canceled, so it’s impossible to see the Bronco concept entered the production line at that time.

Now, we’ve entered the new year and there is good news for Broncos fans, although most of the news is still a rumor. Some rumors indicate that the sixth-generation 2018 Ford Bronco is ready to make its first appearance later this year. However, as you all know, there’s no official confirmation from Ford so far, although many people hoping to see the latest Bronco concept at the Detroit Motor Show next month.

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Talking about engines lineup, the all-new 2018 Ford Bronco will allegedly bring three different engine options when it launched in the U.S. market (one diesel and two gasoline), complete with a six-speed manual and automatic transmission. Two of the three engines will most likely be borrowed from the current Ford F-150. The first option, the sixth-gen Bronco is expected to come with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost engine capable of developing up to 365 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm.

Next, the 2018 Bronco may be powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine with a maximum output up to 360 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 380 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. Both engines above are basically taken from the F-150 full-size pickup and all engines will reportedly come with four-wheel drive setup. Meanwhile, a 4.5-liter diesel engine is expected to be available in the future to complete the Bronco engine lineup, but it certainly will depend on market demand.

Furthermore, the upcoming Bronco models will reportedly share the same platform as the Ford Explorer and Ranger. Major changes are expected to come both in terms of its exterior and interior design, although some reports suggest that the sixth-generation Bronco will have a similar design cues to its concept version. This means that the Broncos will not be completely redesigned and there are no significant updates in terms of design.

2018 Ford Bronco Release Date is supposedly scheduled for later this year

We know there’s no accurate information, even information coming officially from Ford. However, some reports indicate that the 2018 Ford Bronco is likely to be launched in the North American market later this year or in the second half of next year. As for the price tag, we predict the starting price will be around $29,000.

Note: This article has been revised several times and image you see above is the 2004 Ford Bronco Concept