ICON BR Ford Bronco is Retro and Irresistible

Bronco re-imagined by ICON keeps two tires in the past and two in the modern day.

The Ford Bronco is not going anywhere. Many of the original models, from the first generation to the big Bronco and even the Bronco II, are still on the road. The hunger for SUVs in general and the Bronco in particular is so strong that Ford is going to bring out an all new version of it for the 2020 model year. In the space between, there are well-crafted re-interpretations of classic Broncos, such as the ICON BR shown in the video above.

Company founder Jonathan Ward and his California-based company took a 1966 Bronco and recrafted it according to a customer’s particular tastes. The buyer wanted their BR to look retro yet still be clearly discernible as an ICON build. That meant Ward and his crew had to carefully consider color and material choices that would cover the line between the past and the present. ICON coated the little horse with New Lime Green paint which looks perfectly old-school. It also added a variety of Wimbledon White exterior accents, including the roof, front and rear bumpers, CNC-machined grille with ICON lettering and tailgate insert panel, and wheels, which wear Ford-licensed reproduction hubcaps. The body sides are highlighted by metal trim strips, which coordinate with the stainless steel door handles and mirrors.

The inside of the ICON BR is an interesting mix of hardware. An aviation supplier provided the dark green leather for the seats, which ICON French double-stitched together. It also chose a robust weave for the removable, rubber-backed, sound-deadening carpet panels. Metal hardware controls such functions as the lights, fan, and wipers. Instead of using a period Bronco wheel, ICON chose to source that piece from a giant mining truck, then topped it with a pewter ICON badge.

A modern Mustang 5.0 with 412 horsepower powers a part-time, shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive system with Dynatrac 44 front and Dynatrac 60 rear axles, and ARB lockers. Adjustable Fox shocks manage the interaction between that hardware and whatever terrain the BR ends up going over.

Overall, the BR still looks like a Bronco, but has a stark and elegant simplicity to it that ICON’s other creations also possess. The Bronco as a whole may not be going anywhere, but this ICON BR version of the Bronco, with its short overhangs and ample power, looks as if it can go anywhere its owner wants to take it.

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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