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yellow 2021 Ford Bronco with front roof and doors removed bombing through the desert

Does the 2021 Ford Bronco Have a Manual Transmission?

The all-new 2021 Ford Bronco has all but broken the Internet since its recent debut and in the flurry of press images and overload of information, it’s safe to say that there is a lot that the new SUV brings to the table. For starters, the Bronco will be offered in three different body styles …

The all-new 2021 Ford Bronco has all but broken the Internet since its recent debut and in the flurry of press images and overload of information, it’s safe to say that there is a lot that the new SUV brings to the table. For starters, the Bronco will be offered in three different body styles to suit almost everyone’s needs and tastes, it will have a couple of new EcoBoost engines on tap, and even be available with over 200 different factory-backed aftermarket accessories. The Bronco will definitely have a lot to offer, but the real question is: Will it be offered with a manual transmission?

There’s a Ford Bronco transmission for everyone

2021 Ford Bronco Sport off-roading
2021 Ford Bronco Sport | Ford

The good news is that, yes, the 2021 Ford Bronco will be offered with a manual transmission. In an age where technologically advanced and fancy variations of the automatic transmission reign supreme, Ford has chosen to appease the driving and rock-crawling purists and offer a seven-speed manual transmission, which can only be paired to the Bronco’s base 2.3-liter Ecoboost engine. We think that’s OK, though, as the Bronco isn’t made for racing anyway.

Speaking of racing, the seven cogs that are installed in this transmission aren’t like the ones found in a Porsche or the Chevy Corvette, for example, as there are not seven forward gears. In fact, the Getrag-sourced transmission is technically a six-speed gearbox that also has a crawler gear (which Ford even labeled with a “C”) that delivers a 94.8:1 crawl ratio, which is similar to that the Jeep Wrangler, according to Car and Driver. But if you would rather not shift your own gears, then you’ll be happy to know that the 2.3-liter engine is also available with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

close up of shift and handbrake of 2021 Ford Bronco
2021 Ford Bronco Manual transmission | Ford

The new Ford Bronco can crawl rocks and break barriers

So we know that the 2021 Bronco can get you to almost any destination off the beaten path whether you want to shift the gears in it or not. But did you know that its return marks some new broken barriers for the SUV world? For starters, the original Bronco was only offered in a two-door body style for the 30 years that it was in the market. However, the new Bronco is being produced in a four-door variant, as well as a Range Rover-esque Sport variant. Having four doors is nothing new, considering competitors like the Jeep Wrangler offer more doors, however, for any Bronco enthusiasts, the added doors are an unusual sight.

Some other interesting additions that the Bronco is bringing to the table include an available 2.7-liter turbocharged V6 engine and an independent front suspension with a torsion-beam rear suspension. Ford says that independent suspension aids in better control, confidence, and comfort when driving. And in case you need any more articulation when trudging through the off-road terrain and crawling through the multitude of off-camber obstacles you’re likely to come across, the Bronco has you covered with its “segment-exclusive” semi-active hydraulic stabilizer bar disconnect, which disconnects the front stabilizer bar at the push of a button.

2021 Ford Bronco Gif
2021 Ford Bronco | Ford

The Bronco will be worth the wait

Of course, there are plenty of new features that the 2021 Ford Bronco will come with including a hose-out interior floor, a removable top, and more off-road worthy equipment to suit your daily, weekly, and monthly needs for years to come. However, you’ll just have to wait until next Spring when Ford dealers will be finally getting them in. For now, you can reserve your place in line for $100. If this is the SUV that you’ve been waiting for, then it might be the best $100 that you have ever spent.

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