When Ford revealed the new Bronco last July, it confirmed power numbers for the base 2.3-liter turbo four as well as the optional 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6. The former was rated at 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque while the latter was pegged at 310 hp and 400 pound-feet. Those numbers, though, are changing according to the Blue Oval itself. Perhaps as a gift to faithful buyers with orders still intact, the Bronco is getting a power boost—see what I did there?—no matter which engine you pick.
The 2.3-liter will receive a 30-hp spike before it hits showroom floors, upping output to 300 hp with a handsome 325 pound-feet of torque to match. On the other hand, the 2.7-liter is now said to produce 330 hp and 415 pound-feet of twist. Sweet.
This info was shared around the Bronco6G forum after being posted on Ford's strange in-house blog, Bronco Nation. It specifically notes that these power gains are only unlocked with premium fuel, and running Plain Jane unleaded will cap your performance by a decent amount. Regardless, those numbers—275 hp, 315 lb-ft for the 2.3L and 315 hp, 410 lb-ft for the 2.7L—are still higher than what Ford announced originally.
For what it's worth, these engines were already the most potent ever available in a Bronco, even with their previous ratings. Prior to the sixth generation, the Bronco's highest-horsepower lump was the 351-cubic-inch Windsor V8 with roughly 210 ponies. Additionally, that engine was also the torque king with 325 lb-ft. The 2021 Bronco's base engine now beats both of those figures with less than half of the displacement.
Keep in mind that while the trick seven-speed manual gearbox can be paired with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost, it's not available with the 2.7-liter. If you spring for the higher performance engine, you'll have to make do with Ford's 10-speed automatic, which is also pretty good.
I wonder how much power the Bronco EV will make...
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