The accepted hagiography of the Ford empire involves the firesale of all of Ford’s various brands in the aftermath of the financial crisis, with only the Blue Oval and the Lincoln Motor Company sticking around for the ride. But that’s not quite accurate.
Ford actually has another brand that it’s not-quite-affiliated with, called Troller. To understand the connection, we need a little context. Brazil has a long tradition of small independent car makers. Some have made sport cars (Puma, Dardo, Santa Matilde, Lobini), other have made regular cars and SUVs (Gurgel being the longest lived and most successful, though there are countless others). In 1995, a small company called Troller started producing jipes in the northeastern state of Ceará and many imagined it would be another short-lived effort. But Troller has survived long enough to launch an all-new jipe (as Brazilians call this type of car, in honor of Jeep), which will use some of the global Ranger’s hardware while maintaining the robustness that make it in Brazil’s off-road circles.
Started by Rogério Farias on a ham-string budget, the small factory nonetheless made a name for itself in off road circles that enabled its growth. It gained attention to itself by participating in the Paris-Dakar Rally and even winning some phases of Brazil’s most famed off road competition, the Rali dos Sertões. In 1997, it was bought by Mário Araripe, a well heeled entrepreneur who subsequently increased production and hired more employees, eventually building a military jeep, special vehicles for use in underground mines and even a pickup that badly flopped. The T4, “loosely” inspired by the Jeep Wrangler was a success. Never cheap, it was the cheapest alternative in Brazil for real off-roading and with its combination of a diesel engine and a hearty 4×4 system, the company always turned a profit and continued growing.
In 2007, Ford bought out the company for an undisclosed sum. And now, 7 years later, the first real results of this deal appear. The new T4 will use the same 5 cylinder, 3.2 L, good for 163 horses (at least in the pickup). It will also be equipped with the Ranger’s 6-speed manual gearbox. According to Ford executives present at the launch, the new T4 will be more civilized without losing the characteristics that so endeared the model to hardcore off-roaders. A much improved interior is an example of this. Ford also said that they have improved manufacturing processes and that the special composite material of fiberglass and steel that makes the T4’s outer shell has been substantially strengthened.
Now, with a resurgent Ford, more confident and with more money in the bank, the possibility that Troller could gain overseas markets is once again ventilated. Some see it in the front of the vehicles new design. Could a Troller Bronco eventually ride the prairies again?
How do you pronounce “Troller”?
Similarly to a jipe!
the j sound in Portuguese does not really have an easy equivalent in English. Jipe ie how we pronounce Jeep and that is how this kind of vehicle came to be known here. The original Jeep was produced here for the longest time, first by Willys Overland and later By Ford. It even produced offspring like a Jeep Pickup ad later a granddad of modern SUVs, the Ford Rural. Both very cool.
The “o” is pronounced like the o in the second syllable of ro-BOT. The rest is the same as in English. At least in my region in Brazil.
Hehe that only helps a little, that’s a word which is said different ways.
ro-bat
ro-bawt
ro-baht
I use version 3.
me too, the 3rd is the one i use.
In the fifties it was generally pronounced roh-bit.
Não senhor, não.
Just about everyone from Rio de Janeiro north including the northeast where the truck is made would pronounce the “er” in Troller, something like “ech” as in “Blech!” In Sao Paolo south, they pronounce the “er” sound as Marcelo describes, kinda spanish like. So Troller = Trawlech
Hahaha, didn’t want to get into too many specificities as the variations are endless. Here in BH, we too pronounce the “r” like in Rio. There are also the variation of the paulistano Portuguese where th “o” would be like the “o” in the English world “whole”. Not to count the possible variations in the South.
Looks like an unholy coupling of a Wrangler and FJ Cruiser with a little H3 thrown in. Yikes…fugly.
There’s also a Ssanyong Korando jeepy thing, which this resembles.
ah come on, this is better than the orginal Korando!
I only said that because of the one with the egg crate grille. The one with the FJ Cruiser grille doesn’t look it as much.
So the 5 cyclinder is a diesel?
Assuming 163 is an NA diesel that’s pretty cool.
Edit: I have to change this, looked cool until I saw the side view, kinda ruined it for me, was actually excited for a minute though
it’s a trubodiesel, Hummer. But you would like it I think, tough to the bones, spine jarring on asphalt, a veritable unstoppable thing properly equipped off road.
That is a solid front axle I spy, no?
Hummer, I’m not very much up to speed on off road equipment, but i did take a look at the specs and it is nothing like a regular car. Here, it goes where most others shy. Lots and lots of videos on youtube for u to check out if u want. With the snorkel, it even goes underwater and the articulation is also there for rock-climbing. I have been to a couple of trails and the things you see this car doing are phenomenal. Some of the things the people on the trail would tell other people in other 4x4s not to try it as it was “only the Troller” can do it.
Nice
I’ll definitely take a look.
I think that the extreme rake throws it off, if the front were about an inch lower than the rear with 285/75/16 tires it would look much better.
Of the windshield? I think it’s like that to make it collapsible.
Sorry, I should have been more clear, I mean that the back is much higher than the front, presumably so that it can carry a heavy load without completely compressing the springs. This is generally a good thing but it seems extreme, at least in this picture.
Oh I see and I agree. But I guess your analysis is spot on. Basic, hardcore suspension bits, so no self levelling springs on this one.
I really doubt this will come here – it won’t meet safety regs and there won’t be enough interest. It would compete nicely as a Wrangler alternative, if anybody who wanted a Wrangler was considering other models (they aren’t).
I think we’ll have to stick to just Blue Oval and Lincoln Coachworks & Motorcar Enterprise Company.
I doubt it too. Safety regs can be met, but I think the market is not there for a “real” hard core off road vehicle. Ford promised not to soften it up too much, but the original T4 was the crudest thing on road.
If the Wrangler goes fully-independent suspension, you can almost bet the Troller would be popular with the off-road crowd.
I used ham string in the sense that the company was crippled by the low budget. After 1997 when it was taken over, the company became much more viable and opened dealerships in lots of the main Brazilian cities and the car became almost fully serviceable. Now, i don’t hink customers have much trouble servicing this car.
It is onde ugly bastard. But this is the most capable offroader money can buy.
Marcelo, Troller was FIA Cross Country champion a while back. Don’t remember when.
Victor, I agree! I didnt know about the FIA title. Another one under its belt then that adds to Troller’s cred.
Is the World Cup going to go off on time? What are the delays, if any? What is your take on it for the country? Good for the masses?
Of course. Delays everywhere, but mainly outside the stadiums. Access routes to stadiums, airports. But it will start
My take?
Tough, lots of money spent, lots of money gone, but in the end there will be some improvements for the cities. Good? Yeah, money circulated, wealth was created. Best way to do it? Probably not, but if were not done, bet that money wouldnt have been spent.
Marcelo – I’m currently in Brazil doing some work (not World Cup related thankfully) and can’t get over the number of small FWD based “trucklets” you guys have in Sao Paulo. Along with crazy motorcycle guys zipping in between cars and buses. Everything else seems very European with small hatchbacks making up for the bulk of traffic.
Hey JMII, enjoy your stay! Yes these trucklets are everywhere
A couple of months back the Strada was even number one in sales, the first time a truck did that in Brazil. Curious fact: if you add all other trucklets, pick-ups, commercial vans in the market, all of the others available in the market (including Fiat’s) the Strada outsells them all.
Ham-string? Or, “shoestring?”
…or shoe-strung?
I’m thinking the author used “ham-string” on purpose, especially since he encircled it with quotes. A ham-string (as compared to a hamstring in biology) binds the ham as it’s hung in the smokehouse and is quite literally a one-use, albeit strong, string. I’m betting the original Trollers were almost ‘throwaway’ rigs when they broke.
ooops, i clarified the use of ham-string above. Sorry!
It would be great if that was brought to the US as a Wrangler competitor. Then maybe Chrysler would be forced to increase quality and lower the price on the Wrangler.
I suspect there would be a huge price advantage with bringing in a product from Brazil. I, too, like the looks. With Jeep, you get the conservative looks, this vehicle, is on the stylistic edge. If they could be sold for 20K, I imagine sales would be many.
Right, bring it from Brazil, then make it comply with US regs, and sell it for $20K. I’ve taken my delusional pills today as well.
This sells here for around 92 000 reais. You can do the math for dollars. Don’t know if there’s money to be made were it exported. To the US I’m thinking it’s a tough proposition. Unless they start making it from steel.
That’s $42,000 USD – which is an utterly ridiculous sum.
Yep, but at least half is taxes, plus the very healthy profit margin. Have no idea how much it costs to produce though. The use of Ranger hardware is intriguing though. Costs to produce must have been lowered.
$42k is within spitting distance of the price of a Wrangler Rubicon. I suspect Jeep is enjoying its monopoly.
Lower the price I might agree with. I think FCA has already managed to up the quality somewhat from its Daimler generation.
Marcelo, I’m glad to see you posting again. It has been almost a month since the last Dispatches do Brasil. This post was great, keep up the good work.
Thanks, bball40dtw, i’m honored to have you reading!
Marcelo, this is a very interesting piece.
I do think a vehicle like this if it is priced correctly would have a market outside of Brasil.
I like the idea of using an existing Ford drivetrain.
As for the design, well it’s subjective. Overall it points in the right direction, but the front end could be a little better designed, but overall it’s attractive with a hint of ‘retro’.
A long wheelbase wagon version would be nice.
It wouldn’t be hard to design one as capable as a Jeep Wrangler, but with more refinement.
Thanks Big Al! That’s the conundrum, isn’t it? Make it more soft and palatable to the average driver and lose the hardcore enthusiast base, or keep it like it is and the enthusiasts happy. As a small brand, even in Brazil, I think Troller and Ford are happy to keep it very hard.
I mean there are hints of them seeking a larger market (better interior, usable trunk this time around), this is not ready for normal market use. If it is anything like pasts one, it makes the Wrangler seem like a normal car in comparison.
I think this is a work in progress. Like stated in the article, Ford acquired Troller seven long years ago and during this time precious little had been done before (except jamming old Fiesta trim in the jipe). Now that Ford has some breathing room, we might start to see what Ford really intends for Troller. Though some may look at it and want one, I don’t really think Ford has plans for Troller out of Brazil in the short term.
They would have to increase capacity for example. Get it to follow international safety regs. For now I see this as a Brazil only product, maybe stretching out into some of the neighbors. Troller has always been about pre-selling production. Any car built is pre sold.
Funny the design. The new front is actually my favorite part. The separation between front fenders and bumpers look the business.
I have no need for this kind of car, and yet I want it…badly.
Kyree, my sentiments exactly! If I had space in my garage for a 6th or 7th car and the budget… In that green so common in 4×4 cars of old, please.
@Big Al–I can hear the guys on PUTC extolling the virtues of the Power Wagon and Raptor while the Troller leaves them to eat its trail dust. This is a much more capable off roader than those.
I can attest to the fact that the newer Wrangler is a very capable machine–more capable than a *stock* TJ or earlier model. The JK did things off the showroom floor that lifted TJ owners insisted it couldn’t do without at least a 2″ lift.
However, I cannot say whether it is less-, as- or more capable than the Troller as to be quite honest they look quite similar in overall shape and we don’t have an image of them side-by-side to get an impression of scale. I’d say the current JK could give the Troller a run for its money at the minimum. If I had the nerve of some Jeep drivers, I’d be willing to play a game of Follow-the-Leader to see which gives up first, if either.
couple of youtube links. One includes another Brazilian SUV the Spark TAC based on Fiat mechanicals.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=troller+vs+jeep+willys&form=HDRSC3&first=1#view=detail&mid=D9D004AF4A9F5EBD6D86D9D004AF4A9F5EBD6D86
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=troller+vs+jeep+willys&form=HDRSC3&first=1#view=detail&mid=D397B232D2A02A3A89E9D397B232D2A02A3A89E9
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=troller+vs+jeep+willys&form=HDRSC3&first=1#view=detail&mid=C48A9B44AB2F008071EEC48A9B44AB2F008071EE
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=troller+vs+jeep+willys&form=HDRSC3&first=1#view=detail&mid=64DA161C9ECF3F496C4D64DA161C9ECF3F496C4D
Hmmm… That puts the Troller in about the same size as the Willys or maybe the TJ. Not bad. Wonder how a JK with good mudders under it would handle most of those?
Yes, the original Troller was about that size, maybe a bit taller. The new T4 is a bit longer, wider etc. One good thing about the size it that it can pass in places the current Jeep can’t because of its girth
That may be true, the new JKs are wider than the TJs and earlier. But based on the videos you linked, I don’t think it would have much more trouble with those trails than any of the others there. Of course, you should see now nuts SOME JK enthusiasts have gone!
yeah that was just a quick search where, I knew there would be some cars you could relate to. BTW, I am in no way knocking the Jeep, just commenting on the T4’s size and a possible advantage.
Aye, Marcelo. Not trying to argue, merely pointing out that unlike American full-sized pickup trucks, the current JK Wrangler can still go through some pretty tight areas. I do appreciate the size comparisons though… I’m betting rigs like the little Suzuki Samurai was one of those the Troller drivers recommended steering clear of the challenges even though they were similarly sized. I’m rather impressed with the Troller and wouldn’t mind seeing some real competition for the Jeep Wrangler here in the States. (And maybe even see a bit of a price cut.)
How do you say “Bronco”? BRONCO, BRONCO, BRONCO! 😁 hope Billy Ford is listening.
Troller…sounds like a wicked Jack Vance creation.