The Ford Bronco Filson revealed last week hearkens back to the iconic Eddie Bauer Broncos of the 1980s and 1990s. Both are collaborations with outdoor clothing companies and positioned as upscale trims. But the big Bronco wasn’t the first Ford to wear the Eddie Bauer name.
The smaller Eddie Bauer Bronco II launched in 1984 with a package that included “Tu-Tone” paint, captains chairs in Eddie Bauer Tan cloth and vinyl, aluminum wheels with all-terrain tires, a gauge package and other premium options.
It also came with an Eddie Bauer field bag and map folder. The brochure pitched the model by say it was “field-tested, built Ford tough with husky frame and Twin-Traction Beam suspension. Eddie Bauer survival gear has been field tested too — right to the top of Mount Everest!”
The Eddie Bauer Bronco II listed for around $13,000 with standard four-wheel drive and a 115 hp 2.8-liter V6. That would be roughly $41,000 today, which is what a top spec Bronco Sport goes for.
While it is a unibody model, the Bronco Sport is most definitely a spiritual successor to the Bronco II and quite a capable little off-roader, as we discovered in our recent test of the $42,260 Bronco Sport Badlands Sasquatch.
Like the Bronco Filson, which is equipped with a Sasquatch package and plenty of serious off-road equipment, the Badlands Sasquatch is the most capable version of the Bronco Sport and is already stuffed with premium features.
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It would make sense then that Ford could give it the Filson treatment with a unique grille and tires, special paint colors and an interior design inspired by the Filson aesthetic. Ford hasn’t said or indicated that it has plans to launch a model like this, but not everyone who likes Filson needs a burly truck and the Bronco Sport is still rugged enough to live up to the brand’s reputation.
Of course, if you’d prefer an authentic original, there are plenty of Eddie Bauer Bronco IIs still running around that often show up in listings and sell at auctions for prices in the $5,000 neighborhood.
