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Ford's Heritage Editions Broncos have taken the off-roader to the next level, with a plethora of little details paying homage to the 1966 original

When it comes to cars that have caused a stir in recent years, one of the most popular has to be the 2021 Ford Bronco. The Bronco revival was one of Ford’s most popular releases in its history, with demand outweighing supply and the car earning rave reviews across various publications and in the automotive YouTube world. And as we enter the 2023 model year, it looks like Ford are gearing up to make the Bronco even bigger and better.

Enter the incredible Heritage Editions that Ford recently unveiled for us. Ford has added a variety of retro models to the lineup of the Bronco, all paying homage to the original Ford Bronco with of course the modern styling but plenty of nods to the past of the Bronco. These models are coming in Sport SUV, two-door and four-door options and from the images and videos we have seen so far, these Heritage Editions are right up there with the best of the Ford GT Heritage Editions. When it comes to Heritage specials, Ford is in a class of its own once again, with these specials being just as epic as the 2022 Bronco Raptor.

These new editions are coming for the 2023 model year, and the Bronco is getting offered in three guises. These are the two-door, four-door and Sport versions and the new Heritage Edition covers all three versions of the Bronco. However, they are naturally limited to 1,966 units, this number chosen due to 1966 being the debut year for the original Bronco. When it comes to under the hood, the Heritage Editions get a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine with a seven-speed manual, or you have the choice of a 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission that can crank out some 300 hp.

If that wasn’t enough, then you get to enjoy the Sasquatch Package as well with what his dubbed High Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension or HOSS. The more premium versions of the Bronco are based upon the Badlands series, so with that you get a 330 hp 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine with the 10-speed automatic transmission. You also have the Big Bend series based edition of the Bronco Sport Heritage Edition with its 181 hp 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine, while the Bronco Sport Heritage Limited versions have the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine with 250 hp. So there is a lot of choice available for the consumer.

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There are plenty of extra features that make the Heritage Editions so special. For a start, there are the color choices on offer from Ford. The Blue Oval has made sure we get plenty of choice. The most eye-catching perhaps is that of the Robin’s Egg Blue, a color directly inspired by the original 1966 Bronco’s Arcadian Blue color. This is exclusive to the Heritage Limited Edition models. The nods to the past don’t stop there, with a new Yellowstone Metallic color a nod to the 1971 Prairie Yellow Ford Bronco.

Of course, these cars are about more than just a few pretty colors. Although the two-tone paint with the Bronco Oxford White accents does look very good. At the front of the Bronco’s we get a front grille with Race Red FORD lettering, and then we have the stunning 17-inch aluminum wheels. And inside, there are a plethora of great details such as the Oxford White instrument panel and the various Bronco badging across the center console, and floor liners and seat designs inspired by the classic Broncos. Ford have absolutely gone to town with all of these special editions.

What makes these Heritage Editions so special is simply the incredible attention to detail Ford has put into them. It would be easy for Ford to just slap some nice colors on them, and sell them like that. But they’ve gone way beyond that. The interiors are totally unique to each variant and a world away from the standard Bronco. The exteriors feature colors that are a direct nod to the past of the Bronco, and even just small details like the white stripes down the side or the Bronco lettering by the front wheels help to make this the perfect tribute to the original Bronco.

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You could actually forgive Ford for slowing down a bit on the Bronco front, now the main release is out of the way and that the cars are in a wider circulation. But that isn’t how Ford goes about things. They’ve made sure that the Bronco is now kept firmly in the spotlight with these epic special editions, in a move that could make the 2023 model year the best yet for the Bronco. These highly limited editions are sure to sell out very fast, and who would be at all surprised at that?

Covering anything from JDM cars to classic jets. Contributed to HotCars since the Autumn of 2018. Writes features, news and list articles.