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HENNESSEY GIVES THE FORD BRONCO 400 HORSEPOWER

It’s Still Not Quite Jeep Wrangler 392 Levels Of Power, But It’s A Start

Hennessey VelociRaptor 400 Bronco
Image via Hennessey Performance Engineering.

Hennessey announced their plans for the VelociRaptor V8 Bronco last October. The VelociRaptor V8 Bronco exchanged the stock Ford Bronco’s 330 horsepower, 2.7L EcoBoost V6 for the 750 horsepower supercharged 5.0L Ford V8 also found in the original Hennessey Velociraptor. Hennessey said only 24 units of the $225,000 VelociRaptor V8 Bronco were to be produced for the 2021 model year. That left us wondering if that was really all they were going to offer up Bronco-wise. Thankfully, the answer is no. The new Hennessey VelociRaptor 400 Bronco isn’t as powerful as it’s V8-swapped counterpart, but it retains the EcoBoost V6 engine boosted with extra power thanks to a dose of HPE tuning. Although, the best that could be achieved was a gain of 75 horsepower.

Photo via Hennessey.

Hennessey VelociRaptor 400 Bronco Engine Management

Thanks to high-flow air intakes and an upgraded exhaust system, the VelociRaptor 400 Bronco pumps out an additional 75 horses and 88 lb-ft of torque. This helps the beast jump from 0-60 in 4.9 seconds. If you’re wondering how exactly Hennessey worked around the Bronco’s ECU security, it’s not quite fully clear yet.

Unlike the VelociRaptor V8 that integrated an entirely different ECU and Ford wiring harnesses to control its drivetrain, Hennessey simply lists the VelociRaptor 400’s ECU control as an “engine management software upgrade.” Bronco Program Manager Jeff Seaman told MC&T that aftermarket companies would need to work with Ford for access to the Bronco’s ECU. It could be possible Ford opened the door for HPE, or it could be that Ford’s cybersecurity isn’t as robust as we’re originally led to believe. We expect to learn more soon.

Compared to other HPE products that have made a big splash over the years, the engine performance upgrades are somewhat tame. Look at the the Venom 775 F-150 and Maximus Jeep Gladiator, as some examples of what’s possible when tuners can access the control modules of a vehicle. Versus, say, the C8 Corvette (which, hey, we told you so).

Hennessey Maximus
Image via Hennessey.

The Rare VelociRaptor 400 Will Stand Apart

The VelociRaptor 400 will also come with custom 18-inch wheels and 35-inch off-road tires, voiding any real need to option Ford’s Sasquatch package with the required base Bronco Badlands. HPE will build 200 units of the VelociRaptor 400 for the 2021 model year, and each one will stand out in a Bronco crowd. Exterior features include electronic running boards, VelociRaptor front and rear bumpers with LED lights, and Hennessey VelociRaptor exterior badging. Each unit will receive designated number plaques both in the engine bay and interior. The HPE VelociRaptor 400 costs $80,000 (Bronco Badlands included) plus fees and is available in both the two and four-door configurations. If you want to own this new Hennessey product for yourself, visit their official website.

For comparison, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 has 470 horsepower, and is priced from roughly $73,500, and closer to $80,000 with the Xtreme Recon Package.

2021 Ford Bronco Sport Lineup SUV 2-Door 4-Door Moab Safari
Image via Ford.

Written by Liam White

Student of the car industry. Automotive Media Padawan.

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