Original vintage 1969 Ford advertizement for the company's Bronco, Ranchero, Club Wagon, and pick-up Camper Special.
Dimensions: 10.25 inches wide by 13.5 inches high.
Out of all the Ford models featured in this 1960s advert, the Ford Bronco has had, by far, the greatest staying power – after a brief hiatus, it continues to be made in the present day, half a century later. And a quite high-profile car chase incident in 1994 involving a celebrity suspected of murder helped to further embed the distinctive rig into popular culture as well, we're sure.
The Ford Bronco was the first SUV model developed by the company, with five generations of the Bronco were sold from the 1966 to 1996 model years. A sixth generation of the model line was introduced for the 2021 model year. The nameplate has been used on other Ford SUVs, namely the 1984–1990 Bronco II compact SUV and the 2021 Bronco Sport compact crossover.
Originally developed as a compact off-road vehicle using its own chassis, the Bronco initially competed against the Jeep and International Scout SUVs. In 1978, Ford enlarged the Bronco, making it a short-wheelbase version of its F-Series pickup truck; the full-size Bronco had entered a new competitive space and went directly against the Chevrolet K5 Blazer and Dodge Ramcharger.
The idea behind the Bronco began in the early 1960s (the same Ford engineer also conceived the Ford Mustang), with Lee Iacocca approving the final model for production in February 1964, after the first clay models were built in mid-1963. Developed as an off-road vehicle (ORV), Ford intended the Bronco as a competitor for the Jeep CJ-5, International Scout, and Toyota Land Cruiser.
Initially selling well, there was a decline in demand for the Bronco following the introduction of the Chevrolet Blazer, Jeep Cherokee, and International Scout II (from 1969 to 1974), as demand shifted towards SUVs with better on-road capability. Following a decline in demand for large two-door SUVs, Ford discontinued the Bronco after the 1996 model year, replacing it with the four-door Ford Expedition, followed by the larger Ford Excursion.
After a 25-year hiatus, Ford released its sixth generation Bronco for model year 2021, after a 25-year hiatus of the Bronco nameplate. Its styling recalls many elements from the 1966–1977 series. Conceived as a direct competitor to the Jeep Wrangler, the Bronco is offered in a two and four door SUV, each reconfigurable as a convertible. Moreover, akin to the Wrangler, the doors can easily be removed, but unlike the Jeep's, the Bronco's doors are frameless, and with the door-glass wound down, the doors can be carried in dedicated covers, within the vehicle, while riding door-less.
On the sixth gen Bronco, the "Bronco" and "bucking horse" emblems on the tailgate and steering wheel replace the Ford Blue Oval. The Bronco is now a mid-size SUV, bringing its chassis and powertrain closer in size to the Ford Ranger. Offered as a mid-size two-door SUV for the first time, the rig is also offered as a full-size four-door SUV with a 16 in (41 cm) longer wheelbase, competing directly with the Jeep Wrangler as both a two-door and a four-door (hardtop) convertible.
Today a compact SUV in terms of size, Ford marketing shows a very early example of promoting a civilian off-roader as a "Sports Utility" (the two-door pickup version).