The Ford Bronco Could Have Had a Fixed RoofFord Motor Company (Ford Motor Company)Ford is targeting a more premium chunk of the off-road market with the new 2027 Bronco Filson, and reducing cabin noise is a significant part of this journey upscale; adjustments to aerodynamics and additional sound deadening played a crucial role in reducing cabin noise by nearly 20 percent for the new edition of the off-roader. But at the launch event, Ford's chief Bronco engineer, Ed Krenz, revealed the automaker briefly considered going to even more dramatic lengths to improve the sonic experience inside the Bronco—by giving it a fixed hardtop."The need for a quieter interior was so important, that we were provoked in early discussions around, if you require a fixed roof to achieve this, then let's go to a fixed [roof]," Krenz said to Road & Track. "We took [interior sound level] as clearly non-negotiable, in terms of an attribute, but we were unwilling to give up what we think the essence of the Bronco is."Ford Motor Company (Ford Motor Company)The current Bronco is offered with either a removable hardtop or a retractable canvas soft top. Offering an open-air experience is an essential attribute in competing against the Jeep Wrangler, but Ford admitted that customers initially complained about road noise and cabin volume. Big, all-terrain tires are prone to humming at highway speeds, and this droning sound is only emphasized by roof and door seals that are meant to be removed.AdvertisementAdvertisement"We have five tenets to what a Bronco means to us. It's for us internally, so we don't lose our way. We've got very specific tenets, and one of those is open air and modularity," Krenz explained, referring to the continuing Bronco development process. The challenge, he said, motivated Ford to find a way to accomplish both its desired goals: "to be quieter, and maintain the open air as a superpower."Ford Motor Company (Ford Motor Company)Krenz explained that some of the Bronco Filson's sonic upgrades were as simple as retooling the seals in the roof and doors, both of which remain removable. Sound absorption was a key focus for the design team, and softer headliner and seatback materials—already planned as part of the move to make the new variant feel higher-end—help dampen the sound waves."Working with the sort-of-Filson vibe on the color and materials was very consistent with what we're trying to do with sound absorption. Once you get sound in there, it'll bounce around all those hard surfaces for a while. Absorbing it is important," Krenz said.Ford Motor Company (Ford Motor Company)Ford says upmarket off-road-capable SUVs like the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser are the primary competitors for the new Bronco Filson. With the latest version aiming more directly against models with fixed roofs, Ford tested the new Bronco Filson extensively in wind tunnels. And the outcome of these updates appears to be competitive, as Krenz said the Bronco Filson regularly scored at around 23 sones, a measurement of perceived loudness to the human ear. By comparison, the Land Rover Defender manages a 23-sone score at cruise, while the launch version of the Ford Bronco scored as high as 30 sones.AdvertisementAdvertisement"Where we initially positioned the Bronco, we were a third more noisy compared to what a customer would consider 'premium,'" Kranz said. "Our goal is to get to the zip code of the premium vehicles. This takes a significant amount of wind noise out of the Bronco to the point where we're now objectively closer to the premium vehicles than we are to where we launched,"You Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State
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