Ford Is Building This Sweet Back-To-Basics SUV in Brazil

10 years, 6 months ago - 3 June 2014, Autoblog
Ford Is Building This Sweet Back-To-Basics SUV in Brazil
We're use to forbidden fruit teasing us in Europe. Hatchbacks and diesels from Renault, Citroën, Peugeot, Skoda, SEAT and Alfa Romeo have been a regular torment that we've grown accustomed to over the years.

This vehicle, though, is one piece of forbidden fruit we aren't entirely sure we can get over. We need it.

It's called the Ford Troller T4, and if you accidentally read that as either "reborn Ford Bronco" or "Americanized Land Rover Defender," we wouldn't be rushing to correct you. It's a basic, badass SUV, and is the first new vehicle to come from Troller since Ford gobbled it up in 2007. For those with longer memories, you'll recognize this vehicle from the concept that preceded it, the Ford T-R Concept. The production model remains remarkably true to the T-R, as well as past Trollers, but it's a slightly more modern look overall, with LED taillights, contrasting colors

You'll have to bear with us on the details, as we've been forced to rely on the notoriously literal Google Translate to convert the original Portuguese into English, which means some of the details were lost along the way.

Under that long, square hood sits a 3.2-liter diesel engine that's paired with a six-speed manual (are you listening Jeep?). There's no mention of power figures, although we're still so darn enamored with this brute's looks, we don't much care how fast or slow it is. Although it isn't explicitly stated, four-wheel drive is likely to feature heavily in the Troller. A high-mounted intake will aid its off-road abilities even further, while "adjustable crossbars," which we think is a swaybar disconnect, are also fitted. We can't see it from the trio of images provided, but the Troller will now also offer a new "sky-roof" system, which is basically a two-pane glass roof that brightens up the off-roaders cabin.

As of right now, the Troller is a purely Brazilian product. That said, a simple badge swap would make this an awesome successor to the oft-missed Bronco and would give Ford a legitimate competitor to the Jeep Wrangler.