The 2021 Ford Bronco's Sweet "Donut Doors" Are Likely DOA

By Alex Kierstein - Oct 30, 2020

 

Ford confirms these were concept doors, but the rumor is the units were shelved due to crash concerns.

 

Remember the doors Ford showed off when the wraps came off the new 2021 Ford Bronco? Not tube doors, although those will probably be available, but "donut doors" that looked like traditional doors with a quadrangular hole in the center. These doors originally appeared on a two-door Bronco loaded up with a bunch of accessory add-ons. Given that appearance, you'd be forgiven for thinking the cool looking pieces were already given the green light.

 

 

Not so, according to information that first surfaced at Bronco6G.com (and has since been partially confirmed by Ford). The buzz is that the "donut doors" fail to meet crash test standards and therefore will not be offered as an option. A set of tube doors, however, will be available.

We reached out to Ford and got the following statement from a representative: "For the Bronco [b]rand, our customers demand a high-level of accessories and customization. In July, our Bronco [two]-door debut vehicle in Cyber Orange showed a concept door design, as well as other upfitted adventure equipment and a one-off interior theme to show how an upcoming owner might personalize their all-new Bronco."

Note that Ford refers to the doors as concept items, and does not reference the units' reported removal from the options sheet, or reported safety standards issue. That said, it seems clear from what's unsaid here: the "donut doors" won't be available anytime soon. Possibly not at all.

Still, we expect the aforementioned tube doors to make it to production. These units appear to have integrated airbags, which seems like a solution to ensuring proper crash protection. Nevertheless, Ford has yet to comment on the current status of the Bronco's tube doors.

 

SOURCE: MOTORTREND