The 2021 Ford Bronco is quite a formidable off-roader, and the Blue Oval Brand proved the same when it unveiled the Bronco 4600 racing trucks. The company’s latest SUV also demonstrated its off-roading prowess recently by taking on the grueling Hell’s Revenge’s trail in Moab, Utah.

Now, two Ford engineers -Jamie Groves and Seth Goslawski- took it upon themselves to up the ante. The duo decided to use a stock four-door Bronco to compete in the NORRA Mexican 1000 off-road rally. The engineers opted for a Badlands variant which meant that the SUV was riding on the factory-fitted M210 independent front suspension.

Ford Engineers racing a stock Ford Bronco Badlands

Stock Ford Bronco races to 3rd place finish at Norra Mexican 1000

The Bronco Badlands was powered by Ford’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost powerplant, which comes mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox. In its factory tune, this V6 motor’s output is rated at the best-in-class 310 HP of power and 400 lb-ft of maximum torque. It is worth noting that Ford offers its EcoBoost V6 as an optional extra that costs $1895.

The SUV was riding on a set of 17-inch machined carbonized aluminum wheels which were wrapped in 33-inch all-terrain BFGoodrich tires. The rally that spans over five days recently ended in the city of Ensenada, and the Bronco-riding duo managed to finish third in the Pre-Runner truck class.

After several delays, the all-new Ford Bronco will enter production later this summer, and we expect the delivery to commence soon after. Prices for the standard four-door Bronco Badlands start at $44,590, and the SUV features a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder powertrain.