Penticton, do you know just how far back the lineage of Ford’s venerable Bronco goes? Contrary to popular belief, the SUV, last seen in 1996 and ready for a return this upcoming week, can trace its history well before the 1960s.
Ford first dived into the world of SUVs during World War II, developing technology and engineering prowess that would eventually be used in the Bronco. Joining an American government competition to construct tough carry-all utilities for GIs on the battlefield, the Big Blue Oval created the GP, short for “general purpose.†More than 270,000 were built for Allied forces and, upon returning home, many GIs brought surplus GPs with them.Â
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Following the war, Ford realized the GPs were too small for civilians, so in the early ’60s they redeveloped the machine into an off-road vehicle for the masses—the Bronco. Nicknamed the G.O.A.T. by Donald Frey, Ford president, the machines would come to be known for their “go anywhere roadability†upon their reveal on Aug. 11, 1965 and release in 1966.
