Is it finally here? Updated Ford Bronco 4WD spotted testing in Australia as retro rival to Tank 300, Jeep Wrangler and Land Rover Defender

Is this a prototype of the 2027 Ford Bronco?

Spotted driving along Melbourne’s Western Ring Road this week by an eagle-eyed reader, the two-door 'mule' you see here wore a LHD (left-hand drive) evaluation vehicle decal, as it travelled along the highway that leads either to Ford’s Design and Engineering centre in Campbellfield or the company’s You Yangs proving ground near Geelong, depending on the direction of travel.

Interestingly, the colour of the Bronco in question seems to no longer be offered in US-market U725-series models, but is still listed on versions made in China.

This suggests that, if this is an engineering shakedown prototype being readied for Australia sometime in the future, it may have originated in China, rather than from Michigan, USA.

Of course, though the series has only been available in LHD since debuting in North America in 2020 as MY21 models, a large chunk of its development work was undertaken in Melbourne by Ford Australia, as an offshoot of the T6 Ranger ute and Everest SUV programs.

Rumours have swirled for a while now that the Bronco will finally arrive in Australia when its first big refresh occurs sometime within the next two years, internationalising what was mainly US and Canadian market propositions.

It’s been suggested that the coming facelift is due to debut globally later next year as a 2027 model.

Among other changes, it will centre around restyled sheetmetal, interiors and powertrain options, including hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) versions that are likely aimed at Europe.

Last September, Ford Chief Executive Officer, Jim Farley, confirmed right-hand-drive (RHD) Bronco production for the first time in a statement he made to the UK's Car magazine.

“The big Bronco will do right-hand drive and I think it’s worth a try,” he revealed in the Car article about Ford’s push to improve its global standing moving forward.

“We’re naturally good at fast Fords and Broncos and authentic off-roaders… Ford’s brand perception was the same around the world: we were a ubiquitous company.

“But we had these little areas of brightness: we have heritage centres around the world filled with these [great] vehicles, but they were never mainstream.”

As we said last year, precisely when RHD production will start is anybody’s guess.

It has been reported that any Australian model would be imported from China in partnership with Jiangling Ford Auto, which already assembles LHD Broncos in Nanchang.

Of course, with competition set to soon hot up from China's GWM Tank, BYD/Denza 4WDs and others, as well as Toyota’s long-anticipated baby LandCruiser and next-gen Mitsubishi Pajero said to be looming, the Bronco cannot here here soon enough.

With the success of the Everest wagon as Australia’s bestselling large SUV last year, dethroning Toyota’s popular Prado 4WD as well as the passenger-car based Kluger from the top of that segment, Ford may be more confident about introducing an in-house SUV alternative.

It is believed that fear of volume cannibalisation was a key reason behind the current Bronco’s no-show in Australia, at least initially.