Unsung Fords

By Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Ford

8 Ford 4WD concepts they should have built

Last issue we brought word that Ford may reintroduce the Bronco into the lineup by 2020. In that story we rekindled our fascination with the Bronco Concept Ford teased us with back in 2004, a cruel, cruel trick they played on all of those who love 4WD SUV’s, Bronco fans or not.

During the writing of that story, we agreed that the Bronco was one of many concept vehicles that should have been built. That got us thinking, what other 4WD concepts have Ford teased us with, which really should have gone into production? The list was quite long as it turns out, full of crazy designs and cool ideas that span several decades and fads.

1980 Ford Bronco Montana Lobo

Despite just going into its third generation back in 1981, Ford wanted to spice up the Bronco. So, for the Chicago Auto Show they created this – the Bronco Montana Lobo. With a 5.0L V-8 under its hood and a T-top roof over its ventilated seats and digital instruments, this thing was K.I.T.T.’s bigger and badder brother.

The coolness factor was increased by a set of side pipes, Plexiglas doors and a sliding glass rear door that opened to a hemp-covered bed and its foldout bench seats. The tailgate contained a retractable loading ramp for hauling toys... say a three-wheeler Honda.

1989 Ford Splash

Now this was a design that was ahead of its time. Built in 1988, this thing would have still been cool well into the 2000’s. The design students that created the Splash took inspiration from a VW Baja Bug as well as several sports cars at the time. Sporting AWD, it could have made a cool dune buggy back in the late 80’s.

A wild mixture of fun and colour, the Splash was supposed to be an amphibious vehicle that would be equally at home on the water as it was cruising the sandy beaches of Cali. The windows, roof and rear hatch could all be removed for an open air cockpit, although we’re not so sure that would be a great idea during a small craft advisory. Despite being such a small vehicle, there were four seats, both with four-point harnesses. Like several Rams and Jeeps of today, the ride height was also adjustable for low slung cruising on the boulevard or lifted clearances for off-roading.

1998 Ford Expedition Himalaya

The Ford Expedition Himalaya was not created for the regular auto show circuit, rather for SEMA. With the demise of the Bronco only a few years prior, this concept cruelly raised the hopes of the off-road community that a suitable replacement could be just around the corner. Sadly, that was not the case.

The Himalaya essentially did to the Expedition what the Explorer Sport did to the Explorer – cut the station wagon roof off and made it a truck. Beyond the body modifications, the rest was pretty much straight from your basic off-road modifications playbook, including a Rancho suspension lift with adjustable shocks, BFGoodrich Baja TA tires, front and rear Warn winches, grille and taillight guards, rock sliders, rollbar, a full-size spare tire, gas can, and side-hinged tailgate.

1999 Ford Desert Excursion Concept

If the formula worked with the Expedition Himalaya, why not carry that same game plan into the bigger and better Excursion? Well that's just what Ford did back in 1999 with a follow-up SEMA debut of the Ford Desert Excursion Concept.

The Himalayan may have provided the formula, but Ford took the Excursion quite a few steps further by bobbing the rear end and shortening the wheelbase to make it a true off-road hero. Custom metal bumpers with integrated PIAA lamps and winch, and rock sliders dominate the exterior. The interior is weatherproof and provides six people with stable seating, while the whole package is held up by a suspension lift and oversized wheel and tire package. They even put a detachable cooler in the bed.

2001 Ford EX

Now this looks like a fun little buggy. The Ford EX is the 21st centuries take on the Ford Splash that debuted back in 1988… without the amphibious capabilities of course. No, this one is all about conquering terra ferma, wrapped in removable composite body panels mounted on a chrome-molybdenum steel exoskeleton by lightweight aluminum fasteners creating a durable frame that is resistant to corrosion and off-road damage.

Shown at the 2001 NAIAS, the EX featured independent suspension with dual coilovers at each corner, 33-in off-road tires and a 275 hp supercharged 4.0L V-6. Ford moved the engine and transfer case back in the chassis to get the optimum 50/50 weight balance. Even today, we like what the EX could have been.

2002 Ford Mighty F-350 Tonka Concept

Revealed in Detroit a year after the EX, the Ford F-350 Tonka mixes a then-futuristic design with a theme any 20 or 30-something couldn’t help but love. Along with a chiseled design, the Tonka features air suspension, with air springs replacing the conventional rear leaf and front coil springs. This enables a "kneeling" function to ease entry and exit and assists in loading the truck bed.

Inside, the Tonka is equipped with modular, customizable snap-on gauges reminiscent of the 2000 Equator truck concept as well as aircraft-inspired oversized toggle switches. Interestingly, the Tonka debuted Ford’s Hydraulic Launch Assist 'hydraulic hybrid' system, which builds hydraulic pressure during deceleration and re-releases it under acceleration to save fuel. Guess it didn’t work so well, as it’s yet to be implemented into the current lineup.

2004 Ford Bronco Concept

Well, the vehicle that sparked this entire story really needs no introduction. The Bronco Concept was an absolutely magnificent take on the shape a Bronco revival might have looked like back in 2004. Paying homage to the first generation Bronco, this concept featured a boxy body, as any off-roader should, as well as familiar rear glasswork and front fascia that easily identifies this as the offspring to the Bronco name.

Lots of brushed aluminum, as well as meaty tires and a winch had Bronco fans frothing at the mouth. Despite such an excellent execution, Ford obviously didn’t get the feedback they were hoping for, or this would have been going through its second redesign by now. The good news is Ford is working on a Bronco, whether it will look anything like this or an even more modern design, we’ll just have to wait and see.

2006 Ford Super Chief

Finally, we come to the Super Chief, a slick and classy take on the Ford Super Duty that was revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in 2006. The Super Chief’s name and Art Deco design is inspired by the Super Chief trains that ran on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway back in the 30’s and 40’s.

The Super Chief employed a unique tri-fuel supercharged V-10 engine producing 550 hp and capable of running on hydrogen, gasoline, or E85. It may not be the most off-road inspired of the bunch, but we sure wish that they had put this into production ten years ago.