Ford Motor Co.
Ford engineers knew that they'd have to pull out all the stops to take on the Jeep Wrangler.
The original press release for the 1966 Ford Bronco employed the first documented use of the term “sport utility vehicle,” demonstrating that Ford’s roots in the category run deep. But there was good reason for Ford to coin the ungainly term: off-road vehicles were then known generically as “Jeeps,” even if the vehicle in question was an International Harvester Scout or a Ford Bronco.
The Bronco left showrooms in 1994, but it returns to world where Jeep is stronger than ever. May was the strongest sales month in history for the Wrangler, as post-pandemic drivers sought the quickest way to head to the boondocks.