If you’ve ever driven a new Bronco and thought it just needed V8 power, the team at Badass Broncos shares your vibe. Having built a reputation for crafting high-end, first-gen Bronco restorations and restomods, the company recently turned its talents to fulfill the desires of modern enthusiasts with a fully integrated Coyote-swap in a sixth-gen Bronco.

If you have ever driven the latest Broncos and wished there was a muscular V8 engine under the hood, Badass Broncos is here for you. The company developed a fully integrated 400-plus-horsepower Coyote engine swap that retains all the factory functionality while delivering a robust infusion of performance. (Photo Credit: Kevin DiOssi/Badass Broncos)

This isn’t your typical engine swap. From day one, the goal was full OEM-level integration, with every system, from the G.O.A.T. modes to traction control, working exactly as Ford intended. Moreover, the company is ready to build one for you.

“We wanted the obvious response to be, ‘Wow, that looks like the factory did it or that looks like Ford built it that way,’” said Dr. Jamie Meyer, an Industry Consultant working with the company, explained.

Fit and Function

Unlike most Coyote conversions that rely on stripped-down control packs, this one uses factory F-150 powertrain control modules and harnesses to communicate seamlessly with the Bronco’s electronics and hardware, thanks to an engineering collaboration with Livernois Motorsports.

“It’s got a new, fully integrated transfer case,” Meyer said. “It starts, it runs, and it idles. It has traction control, it has cruise control, and the air conditioning works. All the G.O.A.T. modes work, the throttle input is instantaneous, and the four-wheel drive works.”

Working with Livernois Motorsports on the Coyote integration, Badass Broncos achieved the seamless installation of a Gen 4 Coyote 5.0-liter engine that breathes through an Airaid cold air intake and benefits from a custom calibration. All told, it delivers more than 400 horsepower to a sixth-gen Bronco. (Photo Credit: Kevin DiOssi/Badass Broncos)

That level of integration didn’t come easy. There was a great deal of engineering involved in ensuring the electronics and hardware communicated seamlessly. Fitting the V8 also necessitated reworking several of the systems.

“It took six months to get the hardware right,” Meyer said. “It required major changes to the oil system and the oil pan. The exhaust is custom but still has the cats, again, by design. We intend to receive emissions compliance. We’re in the process of doing all emissions testing now.”

Factory Feels

The result was worth it. The Coyote-powered Bronco delivers 400-plus horsepower with flawless drivability and full system integration, which makes you wonder why it wasn’t a factory option from the jump.

“The biggest difference with the V8 is instantaneous power, and the RPM range on the Coyote seems to go on forever…,” Meyer said. “It feels like a low-13-second vehicle to me. It has amazing part-throttle response, and effortlessly cruises at 70 miles an hour.”

Aside from the Borla exhaust tip, the Badass Broncos’ Coyote-swapped Bronco looks like it just rolled off the assembly line, and that’s just what the company intended. That said, the possibilities of more aggressive versions are being explored as future options.

You might assume that swapping to a V8 engine would bring some extra heft to the package, along with its obvious increase in grunt. Surprisingly, the Coyote swap doesn’t just make the vehicle drive like it is lighter; it actually puts the Bronco on a diet.

“When it’s done, it ends up 65 pounds lighter than the V6 that was in there,” Meyer explained. “And it’s 200 pounds lighter than a Godzilla crate engine, so there are many advantages to going Coyote on this thing.”

The team logged over 2,500 miles of testing before unveiling the prototype at the Woodward Dream Cruise, where it made its public debut in Ford’s Bronco Alley.

What’s Next

With a successful proof of concept on the road, Badass Broncos is already planning more.

“The Coyote made a lot of sense. It’s a new, high-tech, efficient, and lightweight engine,” Meyer said. “Obviously, it’s got incredible headroom, like we see in Mustangs and F-150s.”

Badass Broncos plans on testing an off-road version equipped with 37-inch tires, Fox suspension, Method wheels, and other upgrades that would mirror how an enthusiast would prep a modern Bronco for fun off the pavement.

With the Coyote integration sorted, the performance ceiling is as high as the mountains that this V8 Bronco is ready to ascend. “We do have Bronco Raptor customers on our list…” Meyer shared. “Bronco Raptor people are likely going to be the first ones that say, ‘I gotta have a supercharged Coyote,’ and then you’re in the 700-plus (horsepower) range.”

Even without forced induction, though, the naturally aspirated version hits the sweet spot. “I’m telling you, the naturally aspirated, 5.0-liter Bronco is just an awesome vehicle to drive around,”  he enthused. “It will surprise people how fast this vehicle is with ‘just’ a 5.0-liter Coyote in it.”

If you happen to be in Arizona this week, you can check out the Badass Coyote Bronco on display this week at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Fall auction, but be warned, you might just want to drive it home.

“You don’t need a V8 Bronco,” Meyer added. “But you want a V8 Bronco.”