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If you have been paying attention to the Ford Bronco lineup, you might have noticed that most of the SUV’s model names are borrowed from the national parks. The latest entry to the portfolio, the Bronco Everglades, is no different. That said, this new overland-focused offering takes that naming scheme to the next level, drawing direct inspiration from the water-logged terrain of Florida’s Everglades. That led to the creation of the SUV’s integrated snorkel system, which is a first for Ford. Road & Track sat down with the folks behind the snorkel to learn more about our favorite part of the new 4×4 offering.

The snorkel was the toughest engineering challenge of the Bronco Everglades package, according to Ford’s air intake system specialist David McNarney. The engineering team’s intent was to keep the intake flow restrictions in line with the base 2.3-liter setup, which required maintaining the correct cross-channel flow through the larger intake. Despite what that unique shape might suggest, McNarney notes the exterior design of the snorkel was largely determined by the design department. Flatter than most of the aftermarket snorkels you might see, the Ford unit almost entirely hidden away on the A-pillar. It’s a neat bit of design work that doesn’t lean too heavily into the paramilitary look of many off-road accessories.

In keeping with the looks, the snorkel provides some trick functionality for Bronco Everglades customers. The faceplates are reversible, allowing drivers to switch whether the truck draws air from in front of or behind the snorkel, which McNarney believes is particularly important in wet or sandy conditions. These plates also help extend the service life of the air filter itself, which can often suffer some torture in off-road conditions. Ford also raised the vent locations on the axles, transfer case, and transmission, which in tandem with the snorkel allows the Everglades to wade through water as high as 36.4 inches. A brand new Wrangler Rubicon can only go through 33.6 inches of water, while a similarly capable Land Rover Defender can wade 35.4 inches.

That added performance and engine security are great, but the sounds that come from this snorkel are undoubtedly the best part of the add-on. While you might not notice them tooling around on the trails below 5 mph, get to some open dirt and you’ll swear you’re in a proper tuner car. With the passenger window cracked, the Everglades’ 2.3-liter EcoBoost showers you with the song of building boost pressure followed by sweet blow-off hisses. You can even modulate these notes on throttle with relative ease, should you really wish to embrace the silliness. The enhanced soundtrack brings a bit of unique character to the Everglades, embracing the EcoBoost name along the way.

“We didn’t do a ton of specific tuning for that sound,” McNarney told R&T. “But we’ll take a happy accident where we can get it.”

Ford wouldn’t comment on whether or not customers can expect a similar snorkel package to be engineered for the more potent 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine. Considering just how expansive the current Bronco accessories catalog is, it only makes sense that the automaker is actively investigating that concept. The real question is whether or not it’ll choose to debut that bit of kit on yet another special edition model. After all, Ford still has quite a few water-logged national parks to draw names from.

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