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Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo school announced to teach owners off-roading skills

Owners of the 2021 Ford Bronco or Bronco Sport looking to get the most out of their SUVs will soon be able to attend Ford-operated off-road schools. The first Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo opens June 28 near Austin, Texas, with three more locations scheduled to open in the coming months.

Initial registration is open to all Bronco two-door and four-door order holders, as well as Bronco Sport Badlands and First Edition owners, Ford said Wednesday in a press release.

Silly name aside, the Bronco Off-Roadeo should give owners plenty of off-roading experience. Each location features 50 miles of trails, designed with input from Vaughn Gittin, Jr. and Loren Healy, two drivers currently racing Broncos in the Ultra4 series.

The day-and-a-half driving school is designed for both off-road novices and experts, according to Ford. It starts with a 90-minute tutorial explaining the Bronco’s various tech features, such as Trail Control, the G.O.A.T. driving modes, and the Terrain Management System.

2021 Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo

Other tutorials cover trail etiquette and recovery techniques, including use of recovery straps, winches, and high-lift jacks. Participants can then take two-hour or four-hour trail drives, or even ditch the Broncos and go kayaking, fly fishing, whitewater rafting, or mountain biking.

The first Bronco Off-Roadeo is located in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, with additional locations planned for Mt. Potosi, Nevada, Moab, Utah, and an unspecified site in the Northeast. They’re scheduled to open in late summer or early fall, Ford said.

Ford provides the vehicles, but attendees must cover travel and hotel costs. Ford plans to offer packages with nearby hotels and resorts, and the first reservation holders get a $250 credit that can be applied to optional extras during the trip, or the cost of bringing a guest.

This will likely be many Bronco owners’ first time driving the SUV, as deliveries have been delayed due to pandemic-related supplier issues. The 2021 Bronco will be more powerful than originally stated, at least, so hopefully it will be worth the wait.

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June 2, 2021
Preview: 2022 BMW i4 delivers up to 536 hp, starts at $56,395

BMW Group used its annual general meeting held in March to reveal its 2022 BMW i4 in production guise for the first time, and on Tuesday the automaker revealed the specifications for the U.S. market.

The battery-electric hatchback is due to start sales in early 2022 and will bring with it a base price of $56,395. That’s for an i4 eDrive40 model with 335 hp, rear-wheel drive, and an estimated range of 300 miles.

Buyers seeking greater performance will be able to opt for an i4 M50 developed by BMW M and priced from $66,895. This model will come with 536 hp, all-wheel drive, and an estimated range of 245 miles. In both cases the stated pricing includes destination.

2022 BMW i4 M50i

The i4 is based on BMW’s latest 4-Series and designed to take the fight directly to Tesla’s Model 3. It was previewed as a concept a year ago and shares its body with the redesigned 4-Series Gran Coupe that’s still out testing.

Unlike the gas-powered 4-Series variants, the i4 features a flat battery in the floor with a gross capacity of 83.9 kilowatt-hours. Using a DC fast-charger at a rate of 200 kilowatts, BMW estimates a charge from 10-80% will only take about 30 minutes.

In the case of the i4 eDrive40, there’s a single motor at the rear axle. The i4 M50 features a motor at each axle. BMW houses its electric motors in modular drive units that combine each motor with a single-speed transmission and power control unit in the same housing. Up to two of these can be fitted on an axle so we could potentially be looking at a more powerful i4 down the road.

Current performance figures include 0-62 mph acceleration in 5.7 seconds for the i4 eDrive40 and in just 3.9 seconds for the i4 M50. Top speed is 118 mph and 140 mph, respectively.

2022 BMW i4

2022 BMW i4

2022 BMW i4

The interior of the i4 is different from the regular 4-Series. Greeting the driver is a wide display that integrates the instrument cluster and infotainment system, as opposed to separate screens like in the regular 4-Series. The i4 also features the latest iDrive 8 user interface.

When the i4 arrives at dealerships in early 2022, it will be joined by the 2022 BMW iX crossover. Electric versions of the 3-Series and next-generation X1 and 7-Series are also known to be in the pipeline.

For more on the BMW 4-Series family, read the in-depth reviews at The Car Connection.

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June 1, 2021
5 Ford Bronco Sport Easter eggs

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport might be based upon the Ford Escape, but it’s far more cheeky and fun than its urban sibling.

Like recent Jeeps and the larger Bronco, the Bronco Sport hides some Easter eggs. Bronco Chief Designer Paul Wraith told Motor Authority ahead of the reveal of the Bronco and Bronco Sport that the Easter eggs aren’t what most people expect.

“Our Easter eggs are not playful, or cartoonish, or jokey, but are there to provide background or heritage on the vehicle,” Wraith said.

During my week with the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands, I crawled around, opened up, and uncovered every Easter egg I could find. Some of them actually are fun and a others are quite useful.

In addition to these Easter eggs, I spotted some other playful graphics. The center screen plays a video of boulders forming into a bronco upon startup, while the instrument panel has a mountain graphic that resolves into a night sky complete with shooting stars. Under the rear seat is a storage bin with embossed labels for hiking equipment and a medical kit. According to a survey of our staff, however, these don’t qualify as Easter eggs, but I found five others that do.

Here are the Easter eggs I found in the Ford Bronco Sport.

2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands

Accessory Ready

“Accessory Ready” is etched into the top of the windshield on the driver’s side. An arrow above it points to a spot on the roof that indicates a mounting point for accessories such as a light bar.

2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands

Hooked

The hooks in the cargo bay have lassos embossed on them to indicate this here is where you tie up your cargo, pardner.

2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands

That surf life

The outline of a small SUV with a surfboard hanging out the back is printed on the underside of the tailgate glass. We like the return to the good ol’ days when tailgate glass could be opened independently of the tailgate.

2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands

Mountains, river, or off-road trail, you choose

The latch panel for the glass that houses the rear wiper motor has a mountain range embossed into it. Or it could be a river, or an off-road path, it’s not really clear. It’s whatever your imagination wants it to be.

2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands

2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands

Bucking Bronco

Images of a bucking Bronco can be found all over the Bronco Sport. The Bronco logo in the side of each headlight bezel housing and on the light in the cargo area are Easter eggs in our eyes, while the ones on the steering wheel and stitched into the front seat backs are logos we’d expect in any vehicle.

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May 31, 2021