Purchasing VIN 001 from any auto marker is not completely unfeasible. These vehicles usually head to auction where a live bidding process takes place and the highest bid takes home the lowest VIN. At a recent Barrett-Jackson auction, the first production Ford Bronco Raptor managed to get an impressive $350,000! While this amount is quite extraordinary, where the money is headed is even more impressive.
You would think Ford Motor Company would be snagging a piece of this $350,000 pie, however Ford puts these first release vehicles to auction to raise funds for charity. In the case of the Bronco Raptor, two main charities will be splitting the complete proceeds: National Forest Foundation and Outward Bound. These charities are the perfect fit as the Ford Bronco was the reintroduction of Ford in the sport utility off-road market. The Raptor suffix just adds more icing to the cake.
So who are these two charities and why should you invest time into researching them? Well, the National Forest Foundation leads forest conservation and promotes responsible recreation. This same responsible recreation is what keeps the off-road trails open for you to trek down with your family in your new Ford Bronco. The off-road community hasn’t always had the best image and the reckless abandonment of nature while exploring, can quickly lead to closure of local trails.
Outward Bound USA on the other hand is the leading provider of outdoor education programs that are aimed at young people. This group strives to explore personal potential and cultivate a passion for learning and discovering greater success through the use of the outdoors.
While the Ford Bronco Raptor sold at auction for about what dealerships will try to mark it up to, it’s good to see that 100% of the proceeds are going to charity, especially a charity that is embarking on the same kind of adventures the Bronco was aimed at.