- ford is launching an off-road school for bronco and bronco sport owners this year, and registration goes live today at the first of four planned locations.
- they're free for some bronco sport owners and those with pre-orders for the bronco, but anyone can sign up.
- since bronco buyers still don't have their broncos, this gives order holders the chance to drive one ahead of the day when they finally get their own.
update 7/21/21: ford is adding three new bronco off-roadeo programs in moab, utah, mt. potosi, nevada, and gilford, new hampshire, the latter of which will be closed during winter months. reservations are open now, and the schools will start august 16.
the absolute best off-roading adventures, at present and for the past 40-odd years, are hosted by land rover and jeep. these two brands have created epic trips that we can't stop talking about. now ford wants to be known for the same thing.
all bronco and bronco sport owners are eligible for a free class at ford's bronco off-roadeo, a 4x4 school opening this month in a wild bronco zone of texas. it works like the land rover experience in vermont and north carolina or the newly founded jeep adventure academy in more than a dozen locales: you show up, get fed, learn valuable driving skills, make friends, get scared, and bash up a truck that's not your own. ford has run a raptor assault program for f-150 raptor owners, but the bronco schools are different animals.
unfortunately, bronco buyers don't have their broncos yet. chip shortages and resulting factory shutdowns are the reasons why ford can't deliver any. the first school opens june 28, in horseshoe bay, texas. this one is just for those who own the bronco sport badlands or first edition models, or for people with an as yet unfilled order for a two- or four-door bronco. the first broncos won't arrive until "summer," which at this point, could mean august or september. to alleviate the headache, ford is placating these patient bronco pre-orderers with a $250 certificate to use on branded gear or for additional costs (such as inviting a guest). the texas school will stock the first real and running broncos, as will three other schools scheduled to open by the fall (in moab, utah; mount potosi, nevada; and an as yet undisclosed location in the northeast).
the group trail drives run for two or four hours, with additional instruction on the vehicle's off-road features, and end with a campfire. hotel and travel aren't covered, and neither are the post-drive activities, which include kayaking, fly fishing, and mountain biking. but anyone with a bronco pre-order, or an actual owner of a bronco sport badlands or first edition, can join at no cost. anyone else who's curious will have to pay. prices aren't out yet.
legendary off-roader bob burns, who just left jaguar land rover after more than 25 years, is part of ford's planning committee for the off-roadeo programs. we love off-road schools, and ford can be expected to make the most of the opportunity to showcase its bronco suvs where they were designed to perform, so take it from us: go.
this story was originally published june 2, 2021.