In the world of mid-size pickup trucks, fans of the Ford Ranger have been clamouring for a more muscular and rugged variant since the model returned to the market. The ultimate wish of course is for a Ranger Raptor, which is offered elsewhere on the planet.
That remains just wishful thinking for now, but there’s a consolation prize in the works, if the rumours are to be believed: a Tremor variant.
If the Tremor name sounds familiar, it's because Ford already offers such a package on the Super Duty version of its F-Series. Quoting anonymous sources, the Ford Authority website says the Ranger Tremor is inspired by its big brother with a redesigned front fascia to improve the approach angle, unique badging and tubular running boards. The model would be mounted on BF Goodrich off-road tires wrapped around newly designed rims.
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Based on what was done with the Super Duty truck, we can expect the Tremor variant of the Ranger to also come with a few modifications to the suspension height. Ford Authority speculated that the truck could get larger shocks and added that the model would offer adventure-hungry drivers a more-generous ground clearance. The F-Series Tremor model has a two-inch elevated suspension, allowing it to move forward with a ground clearance of 10.8 inches.
Since the Ranger Tremor would fit underneath the more-powerful Ranger Raptor, it would not undergo any major mechanical modifications. Power would come from the 2.3L, 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine, a block tuned to deliver 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Four-wheel drive would of course be standard, as would Ford's 10-speed automatic transmission.
If the report proves accurate, buyers will have the option of adding the Tremor package to the Lariat and XLT trim levels. For now, Ford hasn't confirmed anything, so it's impossible to give a possible date for the arrival of such a variant. As it happens, however, we'll be spending part of today with the good people at Ford for a technical presentation of the Bronco Sport, so you can be sure the question will be asked. We will update this news during the day.
