Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Sharpen your back-country driving skills at Ford’s Bronco Off-Roadeo center

Learn to get the most from your off-road capable machine

Ford Bronco at Bronco Off-Rodeo center in Tennessee.
With the opening of the fifth Bronco Off-Roadeo adventure driving school in Tennessee, Ford says that 80 percent of all Bronco and Bronco Sport owners live within 500 miles of a Roadeo location. The Roadeo schools will conduct off-road driving experiences for drivers with all experience levels.

New Bronco, Bronco Sport, and Bronco Raptor owners can visit the Off-Roadeo center for a complimentary full-day experience to learn how to get the most from their SUVs driving off-road. Drivers won’t use their own vehicles as the school will provide a Bronco or Bronco Sport for the experience. Off-road enthusiasts and non-Bronco owners will also have a chance to register for a four-hour paid course.

Recommended Videos

Why the Bronco Off-Roadeo adventure driving school matters

Trail Badge at Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo center in Tennessee.
SUV drivers famously use only a fraction of their vehicle’s off-road capabilities. Ford’s Bronco Off-Roadeo adventure-driving schools will serve several purposes. First, existing owners will learn about their Bronco’s capabilities and off-road features. Those same owners may then be valuable word-of-mouth marketers for the Bronco platforms. This type of customer engagement, which some marketers now call an activation, can also help build customer brand and model loyalty.

The existence of the network of Bronco Off-Roadeo schools could also help curious car shoppers decide to learn more about or test-drive a Bronco or Bronco Sport in the future.

Bronco Off-Roadeo experiences: Who can go and what you do

Outsiide entrance of Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo Center in Tennessee.
Set in the mountains of eastern Tennessee within an hour south of Knoxville, the new Bronco Off-Rodeo Tennessee location is near two national parks, the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway. The location is on more than 1,000 acres of forested hills. Crews are building new trails for Bronco owners to experience what their vehicles can do and practice the skills to help them get the most from their off-roader.

Other Bronco Off-Roadeo experience base camps are located in the Las Vegas Dessert, Texas hill country, Moab Red Rock, and New Hampshire mountains.

Ford announced Bronco and Bronco Sport owner registration is open now for experiences due to start in October. Non-Bronco owners interested in a half-day experience can sign up to be notified when registration opens in Julyfor half-day adventures.
Check-in desk at Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo center in Tennessee.

Bruce Brown
A Digital Trends Contributing Editor and Contributor for TheManual.com, Bruce Brown writes e-mobility reviews and covers…
The Two-Wheel Drive Ford Ranger FX2 is All You Need to Play Off-Road
Ford Ranger FX2

Somewhere along the line, it was assumed that to leave the safety of paved roads, you needed a four-wheel drive system. Indeed, when it comes to tricky terrain, 4WD will overcome obstacles that will stump most two-wheel drive vehicles – most, but not all.

There are some 2WD vehicles that benefit from off-road essentials like ground clearance and capable tread to open a world of modest adventure and fun away from the tarmac. Ford’s FX2 package is one such example, bundling all-terrain tires, a re-tuned suspension, skid protection, and a locking differential for its rear-drive Ranger pickup. While stopping short of things like torque vectoring or low-range gears, the FX2 pack narrows the gap between two and four-wheel drive. To see how narrow, we’re taking the Ranger FX2 on one of our favorite trails here in Southern California.

Read more
An All-New Ford Bronco Will Rise from the Ashes for 2021
2021 Ford Bronco SUV

Extreme off-road exploration (i.e., “overlanding”) has exploded in popularity. Amid the growing pandemic, even more folks are looking at road-tripping and car camping to get their travel fix. That requires a proper adventure-ready vehicle. If the Jeep Wrangler isn’t disco enough for you, Ford just announced some very good news.

In one of the most exciting automotive reveals of the last five years, the Ford Bronco will return for 2021 as an all-new family of trucks. The key here is family. The automaker is building upon the original two-door model with an entire line of Broncos. Depending on their preferred driving experience, buyers will be able to dial in their exact level of ruggedness or luxury. Ford promises infinite customizability. The new model will be available in the original 2-door version, plus an ultra-compact Sport model and a first-ever 4-door variation.

Read more
1000 Miglia debuts in Florida: A new chapter for the iconic race
What happens when you cross a classic endurance race with one of America's liveliest states?
A Jaguar XK150 S crossing the finish line at the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida with a checkered flag waving

Classic cars hit the road, contemporary hypercars joined them, and records were broken as the iconic Italian road race, the 1000 Miglia, made its U.S. debut in February. Florida received its own version of the historic competition as 70 notable vehicles traveled 1000 miles through the state, stopping off in Naples, Venice, Tampa, Cape Canaveral, West Palm Beach, and Miami Beach.

The race was divided into three classes with the 1000 Miglia Original snagged by Bruce Roch and Logan Roch who were behind the wheel of a Jaguar XK 120 OTS -1953; a Jaguar XK150 S crewed by Gabriel Hrib and Gabriel Hrib Jr winning the Classic Icons category; and a more modern Ferrari 488 Gts crewed by Fabrizio Macario and Giovanna Di Costanzo while being backed by Ferrari Club Italia snagging the “Hypercar & Supercar” crown.
It’s the first but not the last

Read more