Growing up, I was fascinated by monster trucks. Sensing my adoration for all things on four wheels, my parents took me to a couple of monster truck shows at the now-demolished Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, and something about the dirt, huge tires, and obnoxious nature of it all made a rather strong impression on me as a kid.
During my era — the mid-1990s — the big names in monster trucks were Grave Digger and Bigfoot, which both seem to enjoy the same popularity today. (Though I should make it known that my personal favorites were Predator, Snake Bite, and Boogey Van, which was a Ford Aerostar).
Anyway, with the backing of Ford, Bigfoot was and still is arguably the most widely known of all the Monster Trucks. And ever since Ford revealed the 2021 Bronco with its way-cool Sasquatch Package this past summer, I’ve been wondering — is the Sasquatch name a subtle nod to the most famous Ford-sponsored Monster truck? Let’s examine.
Just noticed something here… #FordBronco pic.twitter.com/cc9rzqZ6D5
— Chris ONeill (@ChrisONeill__) July 14, 2020
Bigfoot the Monster Truck
Often regarded as the first monster truck, Bigfoot originated in 1975 and was originally based on a 1974 Ford F-250. It was owned by Bob Chandler, who still leads the Bigfoot 4×4 Inc. empire to this day. Throughout the years, the truck has had 20 different iterations, most of which have used Ford chassis and Ford bodies, though an MLB sponsorship dictated that Chevrolet Silverado bodies were used in the early 2010s. Despite that blip though, between its Ford-blue exterior and the fact that most versions have used an F-150, F-150 Raptor, or Super Duty body, Bigfoot is firmly associated with Ford trucks.
The New Bronco’s Sasquatch Package
The Sasquatch package is easily one of the coolest things about the new Ford Bronco, which is the most exciting new off-road vehicle Ford has revealed in years. It consists of 17-in beadlock-capable aluminum wheels, a 4.7 final drive ratio with locking front and rear differentials, a high clearance suspension with high clearance fender flares, and perhaps its most enticing feature: 35-in Mud-Terrain tires.
It’s available on all Bronco trim levels for between $4,995 and $2,495 (trims like the Black Diamond and Badlands already come standard with some of the Sasquatch features, so it costs less to add it on these higher trims). This means that while competitors reserve their top off-road features for their most expensive trims, it’ll be possible to get a Base trim Ford Bronco loaded with off-road features, making it an excellent overall value relative to competitors like the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner.
Essentially, the Sasquatch Package is the Bronco’s trump card.
Are they Related?
Ford doesn’t need to actually come out and say, “yeah we chose the Sasquatch name as a nod to Bigfoot” for us to see the obvious connection here. Whether that’s due to a conscious effort to pay homage to the world’s most famous monster truck or a simple coincidence due to the shared connotations of the words “Bigfoot” and “Sasquatch” will likely remain unknown. Regardless, it’s pretty exciting that the Bronco offers a package consisting of taller suspension, locking diffs, and extra-big tires.
I’ll take mine in Velocity Blue, and add some yellow and red graphics on my own.
Find a Ford Bronco for sale on Autotrader
Chris O’Neill grew up in the rust belt and now lives in the adventure hub of Salt Lake City, Utah. He worked in the auto industry for a while, helping Germans design cars for Americans. Find him on YouTube and on Instagram.
