Hennessey wants to build a Ford Bronco VelociRaptor with 405 hp
The company best known for making things stupid fast plans for more Bronco tuning -- should it be able to crack Ford's cybersecurity systems and ECU.
Looks pretty boss to me.
Hennessey Performance Engineering knows a thing or two about building and tuning fast cars, but it's eager to get its hands on the 2021 Ford Bronco. On Thursday, the Texas-based tuner said it wants to build a Bronco VelociRaptor with 405 horsepower and 503 pound-feet of torque on tap, thanks to tuning, software upgrades and a new exhaust and air induction system.
Based on a Bronco with the 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 under the hood, HPE plans to massage the extra power out of the power unit, plus attach some new off-road gear for an even meaner SUV in the dirt. Specifically, this Bronco VelociRaptor should include 35-inch tires with 18-inch HPE wheels. New front and rear bumpers look like they may help with off-road tasks, too, but the company didn't mention any sort of additional lift or other gear. Still, a Bronco that goes from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds sounds pretty good.
What remains unclear is if HPE received access to the Bronco's intense cybersecurity systems. This is actually the second time it announced intentions for a faster horsey. Last October, HPE also announced plans for a V8-swapped Bronco, which sounds brilliant, but perhaps a tough job. Jeff Seaman, the Bronco's program manager at Ford, has previously said the automaker will need to "walk carefully" when it comes to granting access to the Bronco's technology.
Vehicles, even rough and bare-bones like the Bronco in some cases, are much like rolling computers. Granting anyone access to the ECU and cybersecurity could be problematic for Ford, and drivers, and open up vulnerabilities. Ford did not respond to a request for comment then and didn't immediately return a request for comment now on tuning a Bronco. HPE mentions an "extensive R&D process" in its announcement for the Bronco VelociRaptor, which retains all of the SUV's engine modes and off-road systems.
If all goes according to plan, HPE wants to build 200 of these souped-up Broncos this year. You're looking at $80,000 to start, which includes the cost of a donor Bronco Wildtrak.
