Before the 2021 Ford Bronco was officially revealed to the public, Ford showed off a racing prototype called the Bronco R that debuted at the Baja 1000, where it disappointingly failed to finish. Ford learned from its mistake and sent the car out again, finishing the grueling race on its second attempt.
Following this success, Ford has just revealed yet another off-road racing variant of the Bronco. The new Bronco Ultra4 4400 will compete in the challenging King of the Hammers race in the unlimited class starting this week.
"King of the Hammers inspired us to ensure every production Bronco model delivers the capability, durability, and high-speed off-road experience this growing off-road enthusiast community has been trying to create on their own," said Mark Grueber, Bronco marketing manager. "These Bronco 4400 race trucks underscore our commitment to the Bronco Built Wild capability and innovation in the red-hot off-road racing scene."
Unlike the Bronco R, which bears some resemblance to the production Bronco, Bronco 4400 trucks look much more like vehicles built specifically for racing. Each one features a fully custom tubular chassis with massive off-road tires and long-travel shocks. Under the hood, the Bronco 4400 uses a high-power Ford Performance V8 engine that sends power to a custom 4x4 driveline that builds on the truck's goes-over-all-terrain (G.O.A.T) heritage. Inside, the race-prepped cabin includes the first-ever FIA off-road certified Pro Pacer XL ORV Recaro race seats.
"With the Bronco R Race Prototype at the Baja 1000 and the Bronco Sport victory at the Rebelle Rally, the debut of the three Bronco 4400 race teams shows Ford Performance's growing commitment to Bronco in off-road competition," said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. "These 4x4 vehicles are modeled after the all-new Bronco two- and four-door production SUVs with their combination of high-speed desert running and rock crawling agility."
The Bronco 4400 series teams include an impressive roster of racers. Vaughn Gittin Jr. will pilot one of the trucks, as will three-time King of the Hammers champions, Loren Healy and Jason Scherer. Ford will also display the Bronco R Race Prototype and Bronco Sport at the event, and a never-before-seen model will debut live on February 3.
King of the Hammers runs from Feb 2-6 in Johnson Valley, California, with qualifying beginning on the 2nd and the actual 90-mile race taking place on the 6th.
450 teams will compete using modified stock and extreme off-road vehicles. The whole race will be live-streamed online starting on Feb 2.