It’s no secret that Ford GT production ends in 2022. Before that happens, though, we’re likely to see a grand finale of sorts for the hand-built supercar, featuring a few bits from the track-only Ford GT Mk II. It’s also no secret that the Ford GT is hand-built by Canada’s Multimatic Motorsports, in Markham Ontario. So, what’s Multimatic to do after the Ford GT? Build the Coyote V8-powered Ford Bronco DR, of course.
“The vehicle will be built at Multimatic in Markham,” said Mark Rushbrook, Ford Performance Motorsports global director to MC&T. “We’ll pull the (Ford Bronco) frame from the Michigan Assembly Plant and a lot of other production parts that are used but it will be built at Multimatic.”
Go figure that since Multimatic is building the V8 Ford Bronco DR race truck, that it features new DSSV off-road racing dampers of a radical design. These Multimatic Positional Selective DSSV dampers are composed of 80-millimeter bodies with finned fluid cooling channels to prevent heat soak, and look like they’re beamed in from the year 2121. I did my best to grab a few photos, which you can examine below.
Image copyright Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.Image copyright Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.Image copyright Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.Image copyright Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.Image copyright Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.
Ford Performance fans probably raised an eyebrow when they noticed that the Ford Bronco DR didn’t feature Fox Racing shocks, considering the Bronco Raptor will have them. Turns out, Multimatic used the opportunity to build the Bronco DR as a way to enter off-road racing.
“We have a great relationship with Fox, and a great relationship with Multimatic,” said Rushbrook. “Especially with what they did with Ford GT. We’ve had great success with them in road racing. And it was an opportunity for them to get into the off-road racing business, and we thought it was the right time and place to do it… they’ve got some stuff out there but they have new parts for this.”
Image copyright Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.
As for the arbitrary number of 50 production units, Rushbrook says that it’s an estimate of demand.
“We think we can sell 50 easily. If we can sell more then maybe we’ll do a second run with maybe something different on it. But we’ll see what the market is like for this.”
Rushbrook says that Multimatic will build all 50 Ford Bronco DR race trucks across 12 months, which will commence in 2023. We bet that number increases, once the waitlist grows.
“This is a 2023 model year, so we’ll take orders in late 2022, and start building and delivering through the end of ‘23.”
The 2023 Ford Bronco DR will be priced from the mid-$200,000 USD range, and isn’t street legal. And despite its intent for off-road desert racing, something tells me most of these machines will be kept in immaculate shape in temperature controlled garages. By comparison, the SCG Boot – the nemesis of the Bronco Baja 1000 racing program – can be had for $258,750 USD, and is road legal.
Image copyright Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.
