It seems as though the aftermarket is already putting its mark on the 2021 Ford Bronco, as evidenced by this four-door model wearing Roush graphics. Spotted by Reddit user 1lkylstsol and used here with permission, this Bronco Big Bend looks seemingly stock save for a couple of giveaways: the Roush-branded red stripe streaking down the SUV’s body sides, and a white decal affixed to the windshield header .
While there’s always a chance Ford engineers added these decals as a red herring, it’s more likely the Blue Oval is giving certain performance shops early access to the Bronco in order to ensure there’s healthy aftermarket support for the off-road-ready SUV. After all, the Bronco has its sights set on the Jeep Wrangler, a model that seemingly thrives in part due to its customizable nature and strong backing by the aftermarket.
That said, it’s only a matter of time until Roush inevitably offers some sort of performance package for the Blue Oval’s highly anticipated body-on-frame SUV. After all, Roush already offers kits and parts for the Ford F-Series, Mustang, and Ranger.
Given this Bronco appears to lack any noticeable alterations to its suspension, we wager it might be testing a tune for either the model’s standard 300-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter I-4 or available 330-hp twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 engine. The former unit is also available in the Mustang, a model Roush already sells performance packages for which boost the performance of the forced induction four-cylinder by as much as 34 horses and 37 lb-ft of torque.
We’re excited to find out what Roush has up its sleeves for the 2021 Ford Bronco, with or without the exterior decals.