Ford brought a hefty helping of open-air nostalgia to the 2025 SEMA Show with its one-of-a-kind Bronco Roadster Concept—an eye-catching tribute to the original 1966 Bronco U13 that reimagines its minimalist spirit through the lens of modern design and engineering.
In a feature story on Ford’s website, Bronco Chief Designer Robert Gelardi explains that the team set out to capture the purity that made the original vehicle such an automotive icon.
“What struck me about that original roadster was its compelling simplicity,” Gelardi wrote. “It didn’t need big tires, a lift, or off-road lights to look good. It was just this pure expression of what I call ‘Go Anywhere, Open Air’—the essential cool that made Bronco special from day one.”
In building the concept vehicle, Ford stripped the current generation Bronco to its core, embracing “addition by subtraction,” Gelardi said. He described the project as an effort to “turn the 6G into an OG.”
Among the changes made, the design team simplified seating and flooring, introduced a more utilitarian rear compartment, added a simple fold-down tailgate with a stamped Ford logo, and modified the bumpers to echo the U13’s style. Ford also sourced machined Fifteen52 Analog wheels for the vehicle.
“We chose to look back on the truest version of the Bronco design philosophy and imagine what it might look like in 2025,” Gelardi wrote. “The one-of-a-kind result celebrates the genetic markers of adventure and freedom that still exist in every sixth-generation Bronco on the roads today.”
Ford made it clear that the Roadster Concept isn’t intended for production, but the company can always change its mind, right? Right???
We can always dream. Until then, there are always plenty of photos to gawk at.
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