There’s something undeniably cool about boxy off-roaders. Stuff like the Land Rover Defender, Jeep Wrangler, and even the old Suzuki Samurai practically beg you to take them by the scruff of the neck, toss them into a bog or onto the side of a mountain, or try clambering over something. Like the Suzuki, however, the Ford that would play in this rough-and-tumble segment, the Bronco, has been dead for years. But if you’re a Blue Oval fan, this Troller T4 might just tickle your fancy—so long as you live in Brazil and are okay with driving a sort-of Ford that isn’t actually badged as a Ford.
Troller is a small manufacturer that Ford recently bought and that now exists as a division of the Ford Motor Company in Brazil. The Troller T4 you see here is the brand’s replacement for the current T4, a similarly sized SUV that looks suspiciously like a Jeep Wrangler, only uglier. The new rig, on the other hand, is more attractive, in a brutish, functional off-roader sort of way. Lots of dark plastic bits and angular creases give the exterior a technical feel, and we’re digging those 17-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain rubber. We see a bit of the Defender and the soon-to-die Toyota FJ Cruiser in the T4, but overall the design appears fairly original.
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Underneath, the T4 utilizes solid front and rear axles, gets four-wheel drive, and we assume a proper ladder frame. Troller hasn’t yet revealed the T4′s interior, but if the old model is anything to go by, expect function to win out over style. The cabin’s single concession to fashion is a dual-pane sunroof panel Troller calls a sky roof. Under the squared-off hood sits Ford’s 3.2-liter diesel—it appears to be the same inline-five that’ll be offered in the Transit van—paired to a six-speed (!) manual transmission. The combo should easily outmatch the old T4′s diesel four-cylinder and five-speed setup. So, Ford, any thoughts about adapting this thing for the States? We could totally see the word “Bronco” debossed in the front grille instead of “Troller” . . .
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