FEATURE – Ford Bronco Badlands by RTR Vehicles
Vaughn Gittin Jr. may not be a familiar name to Australians, but he’s a big deal in the US. Earlier this year, he and other aftermarket product companies were invited by Ford to customise one of the new Broncos.
The custom Broncos made their debut at this year’s Easter Jeep Safari; an event that, as the name indicates, is predominantly about Jeeps, but Ford are muscling in as they look to build the all-new Bronco’s profile in the 4x4 market.
Gittin Jr. is better known for drifting, but he also runs RTR Vehicles that produce cosmetic and performance parts, mainly for the Ford Mustang. More recently, RTR Vehicles have been expanding their range with parts to suit Ford’s F-150 and Ranger pickups. They’re now offering parts for the all-new Bronco, too.
“Ford absolutely knocked it out of the park with its all-new Bronco SUVs, so we’re pouring our passion into blending our unique experience with Ford Performance and King of the Hammers racing to create our best possible turn-key vehicle packages and performance off-road parts,” said Gittin Jr.
“RTR products are designed to turn heads and engineered to take off-road enthusiasts to their favourite destinations and beyond.”
To a Bronco four-door Badlands base, the California-based company have fitted a custom RTR rear bumper and rock sliders, a 3D-printed grille with simulated accent lights and custom RTR graphics all round.
In place of the factory wheels, the Bronco Badlands rolls on RTR’s own Tech-6 wheels fitted with 35-inch Nitto Ridge Grappler tyres, while a roof mounted RTR light bar with Project X FF 7.0-inch lights add a bit of Baja-style bling to this outfit.
The interior has been left almost entirely stock, but to refresh occupants on downtime away from the trail, RTR did add a 12-volt Type S Blizzard Box fridge/freezer in the cargo space behind the rear seats.
The new Bronco and related Bronco Sport will not be coming to Australia as a factory product, as Ford has determined sales in RHD markets would not be enough to cover the cost of engineering a right-hand drive version.
However, there is hope for Australian Bronco aficionados, with Crossover Car Conversions in Melbourne announcing earlier this year they were taking expressions of interest from local buyers for RHD versions.
With over 30 years’ experience in RHD conversions on all types of American LHD vehicles, Crossover Car Conversions have the ability produce a factory-look and factory-quality RHD Bronco.
Local demand will determine if and when an RHD Bronco will be available through Crossover Car Conversions.