A bone-stock Ford Bronco Sport just won a 1,931-km desert rally

It's no secret that the all-new Ford Bronco is turning heads not just because of its retro looks, but also because of its off-road capability. But some enthusiasts might have already forgotten that Ford also made a more 'practical' version of the go-anywhere SUV called the Bronco Sport.

Revealed alongside the standard Bronco three months ago, the Sport model serves as the crossover version that also offers go-anywhere capability in a smaller, more family-friendly package. Sure, it may not have the bigger V6 EcoBoost powertrains, as well as taller ride height, but Ford says the Bronco Sport can also go over any terrain with ease thanks to its Terrain Management System, and intelligent all-wheel-drive system.

Some may have doubts about its abilities, but the Blue Oval just proved that the Bronco Sport can hang with the rest of the 4x4s after finishing (and winning its class) at this year's Rebelle Rally Saturday, an all-women racing competition. Covering a total of 1,200 miles (or 1,931 kilometers) across Nevada and California desert terrain, the Bronco Sport won the X-Cross class at the event with no modifications whatsoever.

What's more, is that the team that drove the winning Bronco Sport did not use GPS to finish the race. Professional driver Shelby Hall, along with experienced navigator Penny Dale relied on old school compass and map-reading techniques to get to each checkpoint.

Also winning the race at the fifth and sixth places were two other Bronco Sports. The former was driven by novice off-roaders and Ford Bronco marketing team members Jovina Young and Erica Martin. The latter, meanwhile, was piloted by enthusiasts Elana Scharr and Betsy Anderson.

“Just finishing Rebelle is an impressive feat – we’re proud of all three Bronco Sport teams. The results really underscore that Bronco Sport delivers, both for seasoned pros and off-road novices. All of these women embody what Built Wild™ stands for, and the first-place finish by Shelby and Penny helps establish this all-new vehicle as the Bronco of small SUVs,” said Mark Grueber, Bronco Brand marketing manager at Ford.

The full-sized Bronco may be the one making headlines for the Blue Oval, but that hasn't stopped the automaker from making the Bronco Sport equally capable of taking on whatever Mother Nature throws at it. And with the recent victory at Rebelle Rally, it only goes to show that the Bronco Sport can go off-road, no matter the distance.