Ford Goes Back to the Future with 1966 Tribute Broncos

The age of nostalgia cars like the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Volkswagen New Beetle, and Ford Thunderbird has ended, which left Ford trying to find the right balance of retro and contemporary when it debuted the revived Bronco off-roader last year. The safe bet was to look forward, so while the Bronco's silhouette recalls the original model from 1966, Ford designers avoided any overt throwback cues.

Having now established the Bronco as a legitimate contender in the burly SUV segment, now Ford designers have the flexibility to revisit some of those details for drivers who can't get enough of the classic design. In the early '00s, Ford was a leader in the "retrofuturism" design movement, with its 2002 two-seat Thunderbird, 2004 GT, and '69 Mustang-influenced 2005 Mustang. Consumers overdosed on nostalgia, so Ford's products have remained decidedly contemporary since the production of those models concluded.

But the Bronco and Bronco Sport Heritage Editions let those buyer who want to immerse themselves in the good ol' days while leaving the regular versions firmly planted in the present. It is available in both two- and four-door versions of the Bronco as well as the compact Bronco Sport, which is only available as a four-door. The company will build just 1,966 units of each to commemorate the year the Bronco debuted.

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“With these new Heritage and Heritage Limited editions, we’re paying respect to Bronco’s roots with nods to some of the signature design cues from the first-generation vehicle, while continuing to build the Bronco Brand with more special editions that our customers want,” said Mark Grueber, Bronco marketing manager.

The compact Bronco Sport Heritage Edition starts at $34,245 and the Heritage Limited starts at $44,655. Pricing for the full-size Bronco Heritage starts at $44,305 and the Heritage Limited is priced at $66,895. For details on these cool throwback editions, click through the photo gallery.