In 1966, the first Ford Broncos rolled off the production line as the automaker’s first sports utility vehicle (SUV), setting the tone for a market expected to generate some $333 billion in revenue this year, according to Statista.
The Bronco promised to be a new breed for off-road enthusiasts, who soon started modifying Broncos for off-road racing. Perhaps no one was more legendary for their work modifying Broncos than Bill Stroppe. According to Ford, Stroppe’s work made the brand the competitive force it is today.
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In 1969, Stroppe modified a Bronco that became the first and still the only outright winner of a stock 4×4 at the Baja 1000. Baja races are held on the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico.
Stroppe partnered with Ford motorsports legend Parnelli Jones, and the two won multiple races. Jones drove the modified Broncos, and Stroppe was the navigator.
Stroppe’s work became so popular that, for a time, Baja Broncos could be ordered from most Ford dealers. Ford would build a half-finished Baja Bronco and ship it to Long Beach, California, for Stroppe to work his magic.
This week, Ford announced that the Baja 1000-winning name will return to the Ford lineup in January 2025 with the new Bronco Stroppe Special Edition.
The limited-edition, a successor to the original Stroppe Baja Bronco from the 1960s and 1970s, is designed to pair the original’s desert-racing spirit with modern off-road capabilities.
According to Bronco brand manager Jason Hyde, Stroppe Baja Broncos rolled out of Bill Stroppe’s factory in 1971, ready to tackle the Baja 1000. That spirit was at the core of Ford’s development for the new Bronco Stroppe Special Edition, which includes Fox Internal Bypass Dampers designed for performance and improved control during high-speed desert running, a standard EcoBoost 2.7-liter V6 engine, and Baja G.O.A.T. Mode for high-speed off-road driving.
The new Stroppe Bronco will only be available as a two-door model and replace the Wildtrak in the Bronco lineup. It also includes a color scheme representing the iconic design and the brand’s history, as well as modern technologies like high-performance off-road stability suspension and 35-inch Goodyear Territory RT tires.
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