The Ford Bronco debuted in 1965, bringing a new era of off-roading to Ford Motor Company. Over the decades, the vehicle has risen in popularity, especially in recent years as vintage square-bodied sport utility vehicles (SUVs) became increasingly collectible.
Even before the modern version of the Bronco was unveiled in 2020, the excitement at the nameplate's revitalization was palpable to even the casual auto industry observer. Orders banks opened and were immediately flooded. Not only did Ford enthusiasts want the 4x4, Hollywood celebrities and sports stars did too.
A quick check of Instagram shows just how many celebrities have raised their hands for the current generation Bronco: Ciara and Russell Wilson, Jimmy Chin, Ryan Seacrest, Mark Consuelos, Jake Owen, Kevin Bacon, Roddy Ricch, Fabolous and Wayne Gretzky among them.
PGA golfer Scott Stallings used his Bronco to help him fetch his Masters Tournament invitation after it was delivered to the wrong Scott Stallings, and featured the endeavor on TikTok.
When University of Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was asked at the 2022 NFL Combine what he planned to do with his first paycheck after being drafted, he didn't say he was going to Disney World. He said he was getting a new car, "definitely a Ford Bronco". As soon as he saw the Bronco, he told Newsweek, "I knew I wanted it."
Hutchinson was drafted by the Detroit Lions and signed a fully guaranteed contract worth $37.5 million in May 2022. He took delivery of his new Bronco, an upgrade from the 2015 Jeep Renegade he drove in high school and college, shortly thereafter.
It's a four-door Bronco Outer Banks, painted red with a black hardtop roof. Hutchinson too has shown off his SUV on Instagram.
Though his family has been loyal to Jeep over the years, this Bronco won't be Hutchinson's last. He already has his order in for a Bronco Raptor, which he intends to customize. He told Newsweek that it won't be colored Honolulu blue and silver (Lions team colors).
The defensive end sees a vintage Bronco in his future as well.
For actor Titus Welliver, the road to his new Bronco was longer, stretching back more years than Hutchinson has been alive. Welliver's father, renowned landscape artist Neil Welliver, had numerous cars during Titus's childhood, everything from Austin-Healeys and old Ford pickup trucks to Alfa Romeos and Army surplus vehicles.
The "Bosch" actor learned how to drive behind the wheel of a Bronco.
Today he is the owner of two modern Broncos, with two more on the way. The actor was one of the first to put in an order for the new Bronco, snapping up a two-door Bronco First Edition.
Having been behind the wheel for some time now, he says that the model is "an incredible machine to drive" that shows off the "genius of Ford". It's the best car he's ever owned in terms of versatility, he told Newsweek.
One of the things he likes most about the Bronco is its go anywhere look and impressive capability. Living in the heart of wildfire country in Topanga, California, he appreciates that the 4x4 can allow him to "drive through woods to get out of trouble".
Welliver likes that the new Bronco holds the vintage aesthetic of the models from the 60s and 70s. So much so, that in addition to a Bronco Raptor, he contacted his broker and put his hand up for a Bronco Heritage edition when it was revealed in August. He opted for a Race Red-colored model, complete with an Oxford White grille with Race Red "Ford" lettering, 17-inch Oxford White wheels, bodyside striping, and wide fender flares.
Welliver's passion for Bronco runs so deep that he's thinking of adding a Bronco tattoo to his extensive collection.
About the writer
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull leads the Autos team at Newsweek. She has written extensively about the auto industry for U.S. News & ... Read more
