Hot on the trail of the recently revealed Wildtrak X, Ford has shown off the new Ford Ranger Tremor, a rugged, no-nonsense model based on the humbler XLT trim level.
The handsome pickup truck benefits from several upgrades, including a black-painted sports bar, cast aluminum side steps, and exposed tow hooks up front. Ford says these tough-looking accessories accentuate the "function-led styling," along with the darkened radiator grille and Boulder Grey body decals.
As you would expect, these subtle changes hint at superior capabilities. The Tremor borrows its all-wheel-drive system from the Wildtrak X, along with several chassis and tech upgrades. This means the latest Ranger trim receives Bilstein Position-Sensitive Dampers which offer more off-road prowess without sacrificing on-road comfort.
The Tremor also benefits from a 1.02-inch ride height increase, along with a wider track by 1.18 inches.
Other nice-to-haves include Trail Turn Assist, which reduces the Ranger's turning radius by as much as 25% by using brake-base torque vectoring. Rock Crawl mode and Trail Control are also fitted as standard and should make traversing rough surfaces a cinch.
The Tremor model receives the same attractive 17-inch wheel design as the Wildtrak X but does without the silver flourishes applied to the latter's rim design. Chunky 285/70 General Grabber AT3 rubber should provide high levels of grip and durability.
Whereas the Wildtrak X has a more premium interior with Miko suede and other plush fittings, the Tremor makes do with a more utilitarian cabin. The seats and floor have been trimmed in water-resistant vinyl trim, which is what you want when you're splashing through mud and creating your own dust storms in the desert.
Customers who want aftermarket accessories - a winch or auxiliary lights - will delight in the pre-wired overhead switches that enable owners to fit whatever they like without messing with the interior or living with messy wiring. This is an option on the Tremor, but well worth it for adventurer types.
Based on the images, it appears the Tremor will receive climate control, digital dials, and a portrait-style central infotainment screen. There's a possibility that some of the features shown could be optional extras, though, but that would probably depend on the respective markets.
Another useful option comes in the form of the Flexible Rack System. Comprised of an adjustable sliding rear load hoop and folding roof rack, owners can carry larger, longer items on the roof and free up the load bed for other bits of equipment.
In the UK and other markets, the Ranger Wildtrak X is fitted with a 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine that produces adequate outputs of 202 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. The Tremor will likely receive the same motor in those regions. As a reminder, a lustier V6 diesel is also available, but Ford has made no mention of it being available for the Tremor.
Production of the US-spec model will commence in July, and we hope Ford America would see fit to introduce the Tremor and Wildtrak X to the local market. Both are a fine compromise if your budget can't stretch to the new Ranger Raptor, which, in Europe, employs a 288-hp gasoline V6 engine. Hopefully, local models will have some extra muscle.
American consumers aren't strangers to the Tremor trim grade; it's available on the larger F-150 and Ford recently introduced it for the popular Maverick lineup.