At an event this week Ford Australia gave us a taste of what it has in store for us in 2027 but for the 4WD and off-road drivers, there was very little to get excited about.

You might think that confirmation that the iconic Ford Bronco will be released in Australia would get us excited but this is not the T6-based sixth generation Bronco that we’d love to see here.

Instead, the Bronco Basecamp is a Chinese-made light-duty PHEV SUV.

The compact wagon doesn’t have proper 4×4 as such instead it is driven by electric motors on the front and rear axles and the battery is charged by a 1.5-liter petrol engine. It can also be charged using home or commercial chargers. Ford says that the Bronco Basecamp should have a combined touring range of around 800 to 900 kilometres.

Red Ford Bronco with a rear spare tire, parked in tall grass at sunset, with a rooftop tent and two bicycles resting beside it in a wide open landscape.
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While disappointing for 4WD enthusiasts and Bronco fans, the Bronco Basecamp does have some cool features including vehicle to load power for appliances and power tools, an induction cooktop built into a mini kitchen in the tailgate, a food heater/chiller box, seats that fold flat to form a double bed and a pop-up roof for ventilation and to allow occupants to sit upright if and when camping in the vehicle.

This vehicle is not the Bronco light duty SUV Sport that is available in the USA and some other markets but it is a part of a joint venture with JMC in China. It takes styling cues from both the Bronco Sport and the sixth-gen Bronco including the traditional round headlight front end and Bronco grille.

Luxurious SUV interior with two front bucket seats, center console, and a rear bench under a panoramic sunroof.
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Ford wasn’t ready to talk about pricing and model range of the Bronco Basecamp only saying that it will be available in showrooms in the second half of 2027.

Other news from the event that will be of interest to Ranger owners, particularly fleet managers and trade users, is the expansion of the Ford Pro program in Australia. Already in operation in other countries, the Pro program has been seen here with the Pro-fitter program adopted for the Ranger Super Duty giving approved aftermarket companies access to data and details to develop accessories for the Ranger SD.

The expansion of the program will help buyers from the outset of purchasing a vehicle with finance, vehicle customisation, service scheduling and software to make managing a fleet no matter how big or small simpler.

It was also announced that from September 2026, Ford commercial customer vehicles in Australia and New Zealand would be covered by a 7-year, unlimited kilometres warranty when serviced within the Ford Dealer network.

Other vehicles shown on the night were an EV Transit City van which also comes from JMC along with the Bronco Basecamp, and a Triple Eight Racing enhanced Mustang Dark Horse, both of which will also be available in 2027.

Orange vehicle side with a black Mustang emblem, a rugged left tire, and a red taillight on the right, muddy surface across the panel.
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