The Ford Bronco Sport has managed to do what many thought was impossible. Originally envisioned as the second wave of a 1-2 punch of Bronco models, quality issues with the more significant standard Bronco forced the Sport to emerge as an improvised spearhead model. Ford’s gamble paid off, with the Sport posting impressive sales numbers and forming the glue that holds the Bronco family together. This glue is about to get stronger with the company unveiling the 2023 Bronco Sport Black Diamond.
More Capability And More Style Add Luster To Black Diamond
Up until now, the most capable Bronco that you could get was the Badlands edition Bronco which was meant for desert-themed locales. The Black Diamond serves as the proverbial escalation in Ford’s attempts to wrest control of the off-road SUV segment away from bitter rival Stellantis and their Jeep brand. Available as an optional package on the Outer Banks and Big Bend models, the Black Diamond adds four steel bash plates that help protect vulnerable areas of the SUV from damage when out on the trail. The plates protect the fuel tank, front skid plate, and canister shield. All models are equipped with 17-inch gloss black alloy wheels that are shod in grippy 225/65R17 all-terrain tires.
In addition to the functional upgrades, the Black Diamond package also adds some style upgrades to the Bronco Sport, with Ford designers adding a matte black hood graphic that incorporates a small horse logo and a lower graphics pack that adds Bronco lettering on both the driver and passenger side doors. The Bronco ford featured is adorned in a slick shade of green, but look for the package to incorporate the full-color roster from both of its base materials. Ford didn’t dive into specifics about the performance hardware but look for it to be carried over from the Big Bend and Outer Banks, with the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder continuing to serve as the base motor while a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder can be equipped as a more powerful option.
When Can I Buy One?
Ford stopped short of revealing the Black Diamond model pricing but confirmed that ordering for the model is now open at your local Ford dealer. Just be prepared to wait awhile; Ford hasn’t opened the full configurator for the Bronco Sport on its main website, but look for that to change in the next few days. In the meantime, the company also revealed that its popular Bronco Off-Roadeo program would be expanded to cover all Bronco Sport models. Before this announcement, the program was only available to those that bought a Badlands model. This expansion will allow more owners to learn about the capabilities of their Bronco Sport while also having the opportunity to meet with other owners.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.