Saleen is planning a wicked Big Oly homage Bronco
We’re not even through the week, and the aftermarket is already feasting on the excitement of the 2021 Bronco revealed this Monday. Long-time Ford tuner and racer Steve Saleen is kicking things off with the Saleen Bronco, a homage to the iconic Parnelli Jones-built Big Oly Bronco, which dominated the Mexican 1000 two years straight with its infamous roof-mounted wing.
The Saleen Bronco ditches the roof-mounted aero in favor of a custom roof rack which still allows users to free the Bronco’s removable hardtop. The rack features a modular mounting system that, compared to a heavy, safari-style rack, saves weight when not stashed with bikes or boards or camping gear. Up front is an eight-lamp LED array, with amber covers for reduced eye fatigue, a setup clearly inspired by the lighting racks of desert-bombing Trophy Trucks. Below the Bronco’s retro-homage fascia sits a forged carbon-fiber brush guard that hugs close to the grille, with a high-clearance bumper and another lighting rack hung underneath.
The biggest visual change, other than the classic Olympia Beer livery, comes from the massive composite flares. Saleen has dreamed up the deep-welled fender flares replace the factory pocket flares and they tidy up the Bronco’s profile while giving it an assertive stance.
Details on the upcoming performance upgrades are scarce, but you can expect a host of suspension upgrades to support that meaty wheel and tire package at Baja-worthy speeds—or, as close to them as you’re willing to push your warrantied Bronco.
