After 24 years, the Ford Bronco is finally back in production, and the date Ford chose for the release is July 9, which turns out to be O.J. Simpson’s 73rd birthday.
According to CNN, the 2021 Bronco was originally scheduled for a spring release but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last weekend Ford Motor company tweeted “07/09/20. The Wild Returns. #FordBronco #BuiltWild”
The Bronco was infamously linked to the former NFL football star after he led police in a nationally aired, 2 hour, slow-speed chase while riding in a white Ford Bronco in 1994.
O.J. was charged for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, and instead of turning himself in, he attempted to evade police, resulting in the 60-mile police pursuit down a southern California freeway.
According to a CNN report, 95 million people watched the chase that night.
Ford was not pleased with the association at the time, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Ford told CNN the timing was “purely coincidental” and that the release “was supposed to take place in April, but due to Covid-19, we had to shut down all our factories,” according to a spokesman for Ford.
Hinting at upcoming Bronco production model, Ford’s Bronco R race prototype debuts in the desert to celebrate 50th anniversary of Rod Hall’s historic Baja 1000 win, an overall victory in a 4x4 that’s never been duplicated in 50 years
Last November, Ford fueled fan excitement for the upcoming Bronco when it revealed the Bronco R race prototype.
“The Bronco fan base is such a loyal one, and they love their Bronco gear,” said Casie Ocan͂a, Ford Global Brand Licensing Manager, Brand & Integrated Marketing. “It’s great to be able to corral this merchandise and make it available and easy to buy at one site.”
