The Ford Bronco Filson Nearly Had a Fixed Roof

Sticking to Tradition

From the beginning, the Ford Bronco always had a detachable top. The original model from the '60s can practically be turned into a convertible, and you had the choice of a soft top or a hard top. Later on, one of the rear sections could be removed, but the feature remained.

After a near-30-year hiatus, the Bronco returned to its roots. Just like the first-generation model, the entire roof could be removed. After all, if it was going to be a throwback to the past, Ford might as well go all out.

What Might Have Been

That said, the idea of the removable roof was nearly abandoned during the development of the recently revealed Bronco Filson. That's according to Ed Krenz, the chief engineer of the popular off-roader. He recently spoke to Road & Track about the development of the model, including the plan to give the SUV a fixed roof.

The reason? Any car with a retractable, or in the case of the Bronco, detachable roof is never going to offer the quietest driving experience. Obviously, it's as loud as it gets with the roof stowed, but even with it up, there will always be some buffeting. The best thing to do is to reduce the noise, as it will never be fully eliminated.

However, a quieter interior was needed, which was a challenge given that the team wanted an open top. Making things even more difficult is the fact that the Bronco has frameless windows. Krenz said that there was serious consideration about a fixed steel roof.

The Workaround

"We took [interior sound level] as clearly non-negotiable, in terms of an attribute, but we were unwilling to give up what we think the essence of the Bronco is," said Krenz to Road & Track. With that, the team got to work to at least make the cabin noise quieter than in the current Bronco. It's not exactly a high bar, but given its shape, it was still a tall order.

Krenz implied that the detachable roof was non-negotiable. He had mentioned the five tenets of the Bronco, one of which includes the open-top experience. The solution came in the form of better cabin materials. More hard plastic bits were covered up with Filson-inspired finishes, so the additional padding and fabrics weren't just for aesthetics.

More sound-absorbing material wasn't going to be enough to really hush things up in the Bronco. That's why the Filson comes with acoustic glass for its front windshield. The seals for the roof and doors were also redesigned to block out more noise. Ford says the cabin is 20% quieter than standard Broncos, all without requiring exterior alterations.

Will These Changes Make it to Regular Broncos?

At the moment, Ford doesn't have an answer for that. However, some trims of the Bronco could stand to benefit from the upgrades found in the Filson. The Bronco was never the quietest SUV around, and some customers complained about the noise. That's to be expected from a vehicle with a removable top, all-terrain tires, and aerodynamics that would make an LTD Crown Victoria look streamlined.

Perhaps the higher-spec trims could at least get the acoustic glass. But the rest of the models could get some of the improved seals around the doors and roof just to add a touch more refinement for the SUV. We'll find out the real answer if Ford makes any announcements for the 2027 model year.

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