1981 Ford Bronco Montana Lobo Concept: A Look At Its 5 Most Unique Features

The Ford Bronco went through some substantial detours in development between its introduction in 1966 and its revival in 2021, including the ill-fated Bronco II era, which fortunately lasted only seven years. Ford introduced the mini-Bronco in the Spring of 1983 as a 1984 model, but the Bronco II was so prone to rollover crashes that — according to Motor Trend — GEICO eventually "refused to write policies for it." 

Two years before the Bronco II's debut, Ford presented a radical variation of the Bronco at the 1981 Chicago Auto Show that might have been a more marketable option as a smaller SUV. The Bronco Montana Lobo was a linguistic disaster, with its rough translation of "horse mountain wolf," but the concept vehicle had some interesting features that make it a compelling curiosity more than half a century later. A quick glance at the Montana Lobo's body reveals a couple of them, like the foam bumpers with a winch hidden in front and the integrated body-colored roll cage.

Under the hood was the feature most familiar to Ford loyalists: the brand's legendary 5.0 liter V8 engine. The angular design of the body came decades before Tesla's Cybertruck finally made it to the production stage. The Bronco Montana Lobo's open rear bed had hemp-covered bench seats along each side and a sliding glass door separating it from the cab.

There were utilitarian features, too, like the ramp built into the tailgate and the lockable storage compartments behind the Plexiglas bubble-style front doors. A pair of off-road lights sat atop the T-top roof, and the fender flares flowed smoothly into the running boards below the twin exhausts.

The Bronco Montana Lobo was trail-ready with its BF Goodrich all-terrain tires and solid Dana 44 front axle. It had high-tech (for the time) features like digital instruments and ventilated seats. There was also a long whip-style antenna mounted next to the tailgate, but it was unclear if this was for CB or standard radio use. Unfortunately, the Montana Lobo never made it past the concept stage, and although the unique design could have made it a popular choice, it might not have fared well in side-impact crash tests.