An anonymous source provided the publication with these revealing photos, which show a manual transmission with six speeds and a “C” gear. Presumably, that “C” stands for “crawl.” There are also new photos that give us a closer look at the Bronco’s engine, suspension, and dash setup.
The seven-speed manual seems perfect for the soon-to-be-revealed Ford Bronco SUV. Getrag’s own information points to the transmission being aimed at large rear-wheel-drive vehicles—implying a longitudinal engine configuration, which the new Bronco is sure to have—and being configurable for five-, six-, and seven-speed setups. The transmission can handle up to 443 lb-ft of torque and supports all-wheel-drive applications.
The optional ultra-low crawler gear would act as a de-facto low-range—minus a separate two-speed transfer case. With the low crawl gear, Getrag’s new transmission boasts a sizable ratio spread—the gap between the lowest and tallest gears—of up to 11. Getrag says the transmission is even compatible with hybrid powertrains, so maybe we’ll also see it in the Ford Bronco Hybrid. A stick-shift, off-road focused, gasoline-electric hybrid SUV? What is this world coming to?
Assuming this nifty stick-shift setup is indeed headed for the next Bronco, it wouldn’t be the only transmission choice. Ford is widely expected to offer a 10-speed automatic, as it does in the Ranger and F-150 pickup trucks, and either transmission could bolt up to a version of the 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo-four from the Ranger or a more potent V-6 pulled from the larger F-150. It shouldn’t be long until we find out if Ford will really offer a seven-speed manual (or any manual, for that matter) on the revived off-road nameplate (we also will then know if the other breaking Bronco news, its paint color options, is true). The Blue Oval says that the 2021 Ford Bronco will debut in July.