Back in November of 2021, Ford released the bonkers Bronco DR, a turnkey desert racer Bronco with beefed-up Baja-ready suspension, a fiberglass race body, and Coyote V8 power. Limited to just 50 units at around $300,000 a piece, these purpose built vehicles are exceedingly rare, yet one might have come up for sale.
Instagram user @theraptorconnection shared a screenshot from the Ford Raptors For Sale Facebook group, displaying what appears to be a Bronco DR listed for $450,000. However, we were unable to locate the actual listing on the group, suggesting it may have been deleted or removed.
The screenshot of the listing reveals a very vague description, with the seller writing: “2023 Ford Bronco DR. Only 50 made. Just testing the waters here. Only 56 miles.” Curiously, the description has it listed as a 2023 Ford Bronco with 300 miles on the odometer.
See Also: Ford Is Taking A (Mostly) Stock F-150 Raptor R And Bronco Raptor To Baja This Year
The controversy surrounding this alleged sale stems from the mere existence of the sale itself. It was previously reported that all 50 Bronco DRs were spoken for by the time it was revealed to the public, and like the Ford GT, it’s been rumored that DR buyers were not allowed to sell their vehicle for at least 2 years after purchasing it. Seeing as deliveries of the desert-ready SUV weren’t even slated to start until the fall of 2022, attempting to sell one in in January of 2024 would theoretically be a breach of contract.
It’s certainly possible that there never was a 2-year no-flipping clause for the Bronco DR. It’s also possible that the owner scheduled to take delivery of this vehicle backed out of the sale, rendering the flipping argument null and void. It could also be that the Bronco isn’t actually for sale at all, though it begs the question of how someone would have access to one of these given their rarity. Regardless of the circumstances, seeing one of these factory desert racers supposedly up for sale makes for an incredibly interesting prospect, and we hope it’s the real deal.
Read More: 2023 Ford Bronco DR Is A $250,000 Limited-Edition 5.0L V8 Desert Racer You Can Buy
Compared to a normal Bronco, the DR is a completely different beast, managing to make even the Bronco Raptor look tame. Built by Multimatic (the same people responsible for the Ford GT and Mustang GTD), the SUV rides on a heavily modified Bronco chassis with a SCORE-compliant roll cage. Despite being built on a four-door Bronco’s frame, it only has 2 doors and 2 seats, with the rest of the space being used for extra tires and cooling components. And on the topic of cooling, one of the most defining features of the DR’s fiberglass race body are the giant cooling intakes that take the place of the rear windows.
On top of all that, instead of an inline-4 or a V6, the DR gets a 5.0L Coyote V8 making in excess of 400 hp (406 PS / 298 kW). To ensure all that power gets put to use while traversing sand dunes, Multimatic also worked their magic on the Bronco‘s suspension. The star of the show are the company’s Positional Selective DSSV Dampers, which afford the vehicle with 55.1% more travel at the front and 56.8% more travel at the rear. New strengthened lower control arms increase the front track width to 73.7 inches (187.2 cm), while an F-150 axle widens the rear to 73.3 inches (186.2 cm). Combined with the 37-inch (94 cm) tires, these revised suspension components amount to 15.8 inches (40.1 cm) of front travel, 17.4 inches (44.2 cm) of rear travel, an approach angle of 47 degrees, a departure angle of 37 degrees, and a breakover angle of 33 degrees.
Do you think this Bronco DR sale is legit? And if it is, is it worth $450,000? Let us know in the comments.