Cliffhanger and Arches Broncos: Ford ignites off-road adventure with new project vehicles
- Ford showcased two custom Bronco project vehicles, the Arches and Cliffhanger, at the Bronco Stampede in Moab, Utah.
- These vehicles, built on the Bronco Badlands and two-door Bronco platforms, highlight the customization potential of the Bronco.
- The Arches is designed for all-around off-roading, while the Cliffhanger is geared toward slow, technical obstacles.
- Many of the parts used in these projects are available to consumers through Ford or third-party vendors.
To demonstrate the flexibility of the Bronco SUV, last week Ford Motor Co. revealed two project vehicles to enthusiasts who want to personalize their Broncos for off-road excitement.
As part of the Bronco Stampede at Moab in Utah, Ford showcased two vehicles in particular: The Bronco Off-Roadeo: Arches Project Vehicle and the Bronco Off-Roadeo: Cliffhanger Project Vehicle.
This is the first year Ford held the Bronco Stampede, which is a three-day event for Bronco owners across the nation to see what's new with the Bronco model. It is held in Moab because the site is famous for its difficult off-road trails.
The Arches and Cliffhanger project vehicles are not for sale, said Ford spokesman Brandon Turkus, but rather are designed so that Bronco owners can buy the parts on them to make their own versions. Turkus said many of the parts on these vehicles are available on Ford performance parts website and Ford accessories website or from third parties.
"This is to demonstrate what you can do with the Bronco platform," Turkus said. "These are modular vehicles. They are designed to show off what the platform is capable of for an owner to create."
Turkus did not know how many people would attend the Bronco Stampede, but every year at about this time Ford's crosstown rival, Stellantis-owned Jeep, shows off some off-roading concept vehicles at the Easter Jeep Safari, now in its 59th year. It is also a homage to off-roading held in Moab, Utah, and is said to attract more than 20,000 enthusiasts. This year, the dates were April 12-20. Seven wild Jeep concept vehicles had been created for it.
The Arches and Cliffhanger projects
The first Bronco project vehicle, Arches, is based on the Bronco Badlands four-door. Its name is derived from the red rock arches found in the Moab area and at nearby Arches National Park. The vehicle was envisioned as an ultimate all-around option. Ford said it is designed to haul five people along Moab’s grueling trails.
It gets more extreme with the Bronco Off-Roadeo: Cliffhanger Project Vehicle. Ford said its team set out to level up a two-door Bronco for low, slow, technical off-road obstacles.
"It starts with a monster set of 40-inch BFGoodrich Baja T/A Evo 3.0S tires and Fox Live Valve shocks," Ford described in a release. "Together, these special upgrades help provide more ground clearance and an even more capable off-road experience. 18-inch beadlock-capable Method wheels and custom fender flares and wheel arches help visually plant the Cliffhanger Project Vehicle on nearly any trail. Just looking at Cliffhanger, you know it means business."
Stunning scenery-inspired design
Ford said the Arches and Cliffhanger Project Vehicles are meant to pay homage to Moab’s beauty, which includes public land and trails that Ford works to preserve through its Bronco Wild Fund and Tread Lightly sponsorship.
The names: Off-Roadeo Arches and Off-Roadeo Cliffhanger are meant to celebrate the Moab area and Bronco Off-Roadeo Moab.
Ford included the Off-Roadeo experience with the purchase of any Bronco, Bronco Sport or Bronco Raptor model. The Off-Roadeo experience teaches owners of all skill levels how to safely off-road.
Moab is the gateway to Arches National Park. Cliffhanger is a grueling off-road trail south of the city. The area features "red slick rock" that Ford said inspired its Bronco Color and Materials Design team to wrap both Off-Roadeo project vehicles with a distinct matte protective film that’s similar to the factory-applied matte clear film now available on production Bronco four-door models.
Orange accents around the vehicles were inspired by the stone arches around Moab.
Ford said its designers saw a connection between Moab’s unique geologic arch formations and the Bronco’s open-air design, so it "accented the roof rails Code Orange as well, so each vehicle has its own arch. The Cliffhanger project vehicle is even airier, thanks to the Ford Performance tube doors, which the design team updated with color accents and a unique graphic plate."
Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.