Friday Fantasy: The Ford Bronco Montana Lobo Was Pretty Loco

bronco lobo side
(Ford)
bronco lobo hero
(Ford)

The Ford Lobo may soon be on the loose in the United States.

Lobo is Spanish for “wolf” and that’s what Ford calls most of the F-150s it sells in Mexico. Recent signs suggest the name is about to appear on a U.S. market model.

Insiders have told Ford Authority that a street performance F-150 model called the Lobo will be added to the lineup when the updated 2024 pickup is launched, and Ford has officially filed for a U.S. trademark on the F-150 Lobo name.

It won’t be the first time it’s been used it north of the border, but the last time around it was pegged more toward the northern one.

bronco lobo side
(Ford)

Ford rolled out a concept truck called the Bronco Montana Lobo at the 1981 Chicago Auto Show that was a futuristic take on off-road pickup design.

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It was built on the platform of a 1977 Bronco with a 5.0-liter V8, but featured a dramatically restyled body with a wedge hood, raked-back windshield, a T-top roof and removable Plexiglass bubble doors.

bronco lobo rear
(Ford)

A patio-style sliding door provided access to the bed, which was lined in a hemp fabric and equipped with jump seats along the sides.

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A roof-top light rack with lamps facing the front and the rear was covered in a fairing, while flying buttresses connected the roof to the end of the bed rail, with part of the space filled in with louvers.

bronco lobo front
(Ford)

The Bronco Montana Lobo also had a winch integrated into the front bumper and side storage compartments behind the doors, similar to where the Rivian R1T’s Gear Tunnel is.

The electric Rivian R1T’s Gear Tunnel goes all the way through the vehicle. (Rivian)

Farther back, removable containers were strapped into the space between the rear wheels and bumper.

Aside from a factory-installed winch, none of these features have made it to the current Bronco yet, and there’s no sign that a Bronco Lobo model is in the works But there could be something close to it.

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Along with the F-150 Lobo name, Ford has also filed a trademark for Maverick Lobo. The Maverick compact pickup shares its platform with the Bronco Sport crossover SUV, so who knows what the future holds for the Lobo name this time around?