Ford’s Original Reveal of the New Bronco Landed on O.J. Simpson’s 73rd Birthday
Back in 2017, Ford confirmed at the Detroit Auto Show that it was working to reenter the Bronco into its SUV lineup. Years would pass as enthusiasts anxiously awaited word on the reveal. In early June 2020, Ford announced it would finally present the new Ford Bronco on July 9, 2020. Unexpected social commentary immediately surfaced and partially clouded the excitement. It was quickly pointed out that Ford had coincidentally chosen O.J. Simpson’s birthday as the reveal date.
Ford claimed it hadn’t considered the Bronco reveal date as it related to O.J. Simpson
While the Ford Bronco has its own qualified fan base, the general population often associates the Bronco with the legendary white SUV that carried O.J. Simpson around LA’s freeways in a widely televised police pursuit on June 17, 1994.
O.J. had been charged with the murders of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, as well as her friend, Ronald Goldman. Simpson was acquitted by the jury and died on April 10, 2024, from cancer.
The famous white 1993 Ford Bronco was owned by Simpson’s close friend, Al Cowlings. The white Bronco was sold to O.J.’s agent and the agent’s associates and now resides on display at the Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Oddly, exactly 26 years after the infamous white ’93 Bronco chase, media outlets recognized the new Bronco’s reveal date as Simpson’s 73rd birthday: July 9th, 2020.
Ford quickly moved the new Bronco reveal date to July 13, 2020
The blunder must have been a bit of a forehead-slapper over at Ford. Within days, Ford took action to avoid distraction from the Bronco reveal and further association with O.J. Simpson events.
Ford then announced the reveal date was shifted to July 13, 2020.
After the dust of the calendar miscalculation settled, everyone moved on. In 2021, Ford sold more than 100,000 new Broncos.
Sources: Daily Mail, Car & Driver, GoodCarBadCar
