Gateway Bronco’s 760-horsepower Shelby Sport SUV is incredibly drivable

Gateway’s latest Bronco creation marks a major milestone for the Illinois-based restomod firm. And not just because of the exposed carbon fiber body, the custom independent chassis with front suspension, or even the 760-horsepower supercharged V-8 engine under the hood. More importantly, this Gateway build features Carroll Shelby’s signature on the dash plaque attached to the glove box.

That’s because this first prototype was built in collaboration with Shelby American, and Gateway will technically call the Bronco Shelby’s sport utility vehicle. Getting official Shelby approval was no small feat, as we learned while driving the prototype on a foggy day in Southern California. Just cramming such a powerful Ford Predator engine into a vintage truck seems downright dangerous – instead, handling quickly became the top priority.

In city traffic, the Shelby Sport SUV delivers improved throttle control that allows you to control amazing power, while the independent front suspension delivers predictable, confident steering. But once the road starts to twist, the suspension allows just a hint of body roll before entering tighter corners that any SUV with 33-inch tires can handle—even far surpassing Gateway’s already impressive Luxe-GT, which we went last. year at Monterey Car Week. From the passenger seat, Gateway Bronco founder Seth Burgett told us that this particular project took eight years to develop before Shelby signed off on it.

“We needed to create a car that was superior to anything that had ever been done,” Burgett said. “To be approved as a Shelby Sport SUV, it had to truly be a world-class vehicle. . . we finally closed the deal in April of this year.”

As a proof of concept, the Shelby Sport SUV was to live up to Carroll’s Shelby name. The motorsport-derived Tremec five-speed manual transmission provides classic driver interaction but can also handle the engine’s massive torque—even full-time all-wheel drive can’t stop the powerplant from chattering all four tires during first gear. a pair of gears. On the contrary, Gateway also installs ABS brakes and a traction control program to ensure that enthusiasm doesn’t turn into regret. In fact, Burgett boasted that the truck can stop from 60 mph in just 148 feet, despite wearing 33-inch BFGoodrich K02 all-terrain tires.

Shifting from second to third and then fourth—using the pistol-grip shift lever—was reminiscent of vintage Broncos racing through the desert. And the weight of the clutch pedal perfectly transfers the friction zone while transmitting so much power. Not to mention the stunning bimodal exhaust note, which starts with a deep grunt before building into a growing cacophony further up the tachometer.

Of course, the Gateway will come with a tamer exhaust system to keep the neighbors happy, as well as a ten-speed automatic transmission or a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 engine. But we’d say that to some extent, some of Shelby’s pioneering spirit is lost. This connection with Shelby also ties into Burgett’s personal life. He drives a real GT350 in vintage racing and is also the owner of the very first Ford Bronco ever produced, which was previously owned by Carroll Shelby himself. However, this Shelby Sport SUV has little in common with that classic, despite technically bearing the 1966 model year designation.

The gaps between the panels of the full carbon body with a high-gloss Highland Green finish and raw carbon racing stripes are a testament to modern manufacturing methods. A new partnership with Recaro has created bucket seats, here finished with Pepita Houndstooth inserts inspired by the Porsche 911 R. The Porsche leather upholstery that covers the rest of the cabin contrasts sharply with futuristic carbon fiber inserts, especially on the gear lever. .

“In terms of design aesthetics, we went with GT3 sport utility vehicles,” says Burgett. “That was really the theme behind it. We could build a Baja race car, have a custom tube frame, and put a V-8 in it. But that’s a hard sell to the Shelby ownership community. . . we’re truly committed to being the best sport utility vehicle, period. Not vintage, not new, but antique.”

The Recaro keeps the driver and passengers in their seats comfortably, which is important considering the speeds this Bronco can reach so quickly. Of course, such characteristics of an all-wheel drive vehicle dictate some compromises. The carbon-fiber buckets don’t recline much and are mounted high enough in the cabin that the top of the windshield frame obscures the line of sight for taller drivers. And to prevent too much squat and dive during hard acceleration and braking, Gateway had to use stiffer springs, which result in a harsher ride over broken roads—softer springs may be more comfortable, but less confidence-inspiring. We also wanted to add extra supercharger whine, one of the greatest aspects of modern Hellcat engines that Fords typically neglect in favor of a beefed-up exhaust soundtrack.

However, the Shelby Sport SUV is certainly an eye-catcher, even when parked next to supercars. Burgett spent most of our morning together explaining to the audience exactly what they were looking at: some noticed the carbon fiber body, some ran their hands along the curved maple wood in the bed, others climbed into the Recaros to twist every last switch and knob. , each of which is made of metal, without cheap plastic.

Gateway and Shelby plan to produce only 10 examples per year, with the Bronco, equipped with the Coyote V-8 engine and standard body panels, starting at $315,000. A full installation of carbon fiber and custom upholstery can quickly raise the price to around $800,000. For your peace of mind, the Shelby Sport SUV also comes with a 10-year warranty that Burgett calls “flying doctor” service, and it’s worth noting that Gateway will build the trucks in a right-hand drive configuration. and for international clients. Each will carry a Gateway Bronco serial number and be listed on the official Shelby registry, making them an integral part of Carroll Shelby’s ever-expanding legacy in the automotive industry.

Click here to see more photos of the Gateway Bronco Shelby Sport SUV.