Bronco Riptide: A Project Vehicle With Factory Accessories for Those That Crave Sun and Surf
The Bronco Riptide is a custom build that serves as a rolling vision board for anyone that craves outdoor adventures.
Just when you thought there was nothing left to be said about the awesome new Ford Bronco. Ford goes ahead and drops this Bronco Riptide on us. This is not the first time that Ford has announced a custom built Bronco, and we hope it won’t be the last. But for now, let’s focus on what the Riptide is all about.
“For this Bronco Riptide project, we imagined a customer who enjoys the open air and a free-spirited West Coast lifestyle,” said Missy Coolsaet, Bronco color and materials designer. “We wanted the vehicle to demonstrate how Bronco customers can personalize their vehicle, letting different types of customers visualize what they might want to do with their future Bronco.” The cool part about this concept is that it not filled with custom, one-off show pieces made from carbon fiber and unicorn tears that no one can ever find. The vast majority of this build is done with Ford accessories that anyone has access to. Not only are they accessible, but they are available to retail customers at their dealer at time of purchase. And the customer can add the cost of factory- and dealer-installed accessories to their financing and roll it into their monthly payment.
Sasquatch Package + Accessories = Bronco Riptide
The build begins with a standard four-door Black Diamond trim Bronco equipped with the Sasquatch Package. Of course, a Bronco destined for some beach duty will be painted Velocity Blue to evoke thoughts of the ocean. Inside you will find durable marine-grade vinyl-trimmed seats in Black Onyx and Dark Space Gray and rubberized washout flooring. So far, nothing that you can’t order for yourself directly from Ford.
Now it is time to dip into the accessory catalog. Accessories you will find on the Bronco Riptide include a Bestop mesh Bimini top, a Yakima bike and a RIGID LED lightbar and mirror-mounted off-road lights. Also seen here are the very cool tubular doors. In addition, this rig does have a prototype front steel bumper. The other prototype piece here are the crossbars to hold the surfboards. This highlights how you can mount overhead racks and still not interfere with the soft top.
The rest of this beauty is pretty much straight up Sasquatch Package. You get the 35-inch mud-terrain tires mounted to 17-inch factory wheels with optional Ford Performance beadlock rings. A Dana AdvanTEK electronic-locking front and rear axle system is here. A high-clearance suspension system with Bilstein position-sensitive long-travel shock absorbers, plus the exclusive Bronco Terrain Management System with seven G.O.A.T. Modes is also here. The Bronco Riptide is powered by the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine with 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission.
“Thanks to the Bronco modular design, we were able to outfit the vehicle with adventure gear that allows for freedom and versatility,” said Coolsaet. “Whether heading off to the mountains or along the California coast, the Bronco Riptide custom vehicle is ready for adventure.” It sure seems ready to us. And even if this particular build is not your cup of tea, it shows you what is possible with a little imagination and a Ford accessory catalog. We can’t wait to see what the next custom build has to offer. In the meantime, it is time to head back to the Bronco build configuration tool.
Photos: Ford
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