1990 Ford Bronco DM-1 Concept Looks Like A Retro Fever Dream

The Ford Bronco has taken many forms over the years, including some that made it to production, and others that never left the drawing board – perhaps for the better. The 1990 Ford Bronco DM-1 concept vehicle looks about as far from a Bronco as one can get, the absolute embodiment of the strange, sleek, fuel-efficient design language of the 1990s.

The 1990 Ford Bronco DM-1 concept looks rather similar to the Geo Metro, though it was billed as a “multipurpose concept utility vehicle designed for driving enthusiasts of the 199s.” It was said to be “equally at home in Toronto’s Yorkville or on off-road trails,” sporting a fiberglass and steel-reinforced body with an emphasis on aerodynamics. Its four-sided flush glass provides an excellent range of vision from all angles, while a rollbar integrated between the inner and outer roof panels protects passengers.

Five passengers could comfortably ride in the 1990 Ford Bronco DM-1 concept, and the rear seats could be folded flat to maximize storage. It also boasted an electronic GPS system, a novel implement for the time, along with electronic instruments that included a full information analog display mounted above the steering wheel.

While there’s no mention of the powerhouse under the hood of this strange retro concept vehicle, it’s said to have had a four-wheel-drive configuration, a necessity for off-roading.

The vehicle’s DM-1 nameplate comes from its designer, Derek Millsap. Millsap graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, in 1987, before transitioning to the Ford Design Center in Dearborn, Michigan. Ford execs liked the Bronco DM-1 design so much, they employed Concepts Center California in Valencia to build a full-scale version of it.

The 1990 Ford Bronco DM-1 was a strange venture in Bronco design, eventually giving way to the more off-road-SUV-esque 1992 Ford Bronco Boss concept and other sculptures more fitting of the nameplate. Many of them are on display as part of the automaker’s US Heritage Fleet.