Ford has announced that the new Ranger Tremor will arrive in showrooms before the end of March at an indicative starting price of R977,500.
The Tremor is based on the mid-spec Ranger XLT and offers all the enhanced off-roading skills of the new Wildtrak X but at a more attainable price point.
It will be joined by the more premium Ranger Platinum at the same time which will be priced slightly higher at R1,119,000.
Each purchase of the new Rangers will include a 4-year/120,000km warranty and a 4-year/unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance plan. Optional service and maintenance plans that run for up to eight years/135,000km are also available.
Tremor specifications
The new Tremor boasts an exclusive look in the Ranger family courtesy of a black honeycomb off-road grille with integrated LED auxiliary driving lights, extended wheel-arch mouldings in Bolder Grey, unique 17-inch Asphalt Black alloy wheels, all-terrain General Grabber AT3 tyres, Tremor badging on the tailgate and sides, and Bolder Grey details on the lower sections of the front bumper, H-bar, fender vents, mirror caps, door handles, and rear bumper.
Furthermore, it comes with an enthusiast-rated steel bash plate, two front tow hooks, cast aluminium side steps, a distinctive long-leg tubular sports bar, and steel underbody protection for the engine, transfer case, and fuel tank.
Completing the mechanical enhancements is the same specially-developed Bilstein position-sensitive dampers as used on the Wildtrak X, which raises ground clearance by 24mm and increases track width by 30mm, thus lending the Ford even greater control in tough driving conditions.
Stepping inside, the seats of the special-edition Ford are trimmed in water-resistant black vinyl with Urban Grey stitching, with an orange Tremor logo embroidered into the headrests.
There are Precision Grey accents and Ebony upper trim finishes on the doors and dashboard, and vinyl flooring that makes the cabin easy to wash and clean, according to Ford.
The Tremor additionally comes with the larger 12-inch digital driver’s display in place of the 10.1-inch screen on the normal XLT to allow fitment of the off-road Sync screen and 360-degree camera system that assists the driver when manoeuvring in tight spaces, as well as roof-mounted auxiliary switches that allow seamless fitment of 4×4 Overlanding accessories.
A 12-inch portrait-style infotainment hub with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also standard, as are keyless entry and start, electric front seats, and a wireless charger.
This is complemented by a suite of safety features comprising a lane-keeping system with road-edge detection, pre-collision assist with dynamic brake support, post-collision braking, forward-collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, reverse brake assist, blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage, front and rear parking sensors, and hill-descent control and launch assist.
In the back, the Ford gets the versatile Cargo Management System that allows owners to configure the load box into several partitions, as well as a 12V socket integrated into the side of the spray-in bedliner.
Powering the Tremor is a 2.0-litre, bi-turbo diesel motor that puts out 154kW and 500Nm, combined with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Ford did not say whether the bakkie’s mechanical upgrades have affected its fuel consumption or utilitarian capabilities; judging from the Wildtrak X with the same enhancements, the Tremor should return an average economy of 7.5l/100km and provide a maximum payload capacity of 946kg and towing capacity of 3,500kg.
Alongside the Wildtrak X, the Tremor is the only 2.0-litre Ranger that benefits from the advanced all-wheel-drive system that includes 2H, 4H, 4L, and 4A settings – the latter being the key distinction that puts the “advanced” system above the standard 4×4 powertrain.
Instead of distributing power at fixed ratios to the front and back like a traditional 4×4, the 4A mode variably channels engine output to the axle that needs it most depending on surface conditions making it suitable for both on-road and off-road use.
As with its siblings, the Tremor will have Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand, and Rock Crawl drive modes and be able to wade through 800mm of water.
Boosting the off-road prowess of the new double cab are three other features that are only available on a handful of Ranger variants, including Trail Turn Assist, Trail Control, and Pro Trailer Backup Assist with Trailer Reverse Guidance.
Trail Turn Assist brakes the inside wheel when negotiating tight bends in off-road conditions below 19km/h, thus reducing the vehicle’s turning radius by up to 25% to help navigate around obstacles.
Trail Control, on the other hand, will manage acceleration and braking at any speed up to 32km/h while the driver concentrates on steering through difficult terrain.
Lastly, Pro Trailer Backup Assist with Trailer Reverse Guidance helps a driver angle a trailer into any position they want.
The user enters important vehicle measurements into the central screen such as the trailer’s hitch position and length, and cameras then track the trailer while reversing and guide it accordingly.
The system provides informational graphics and up to seven camera views to simplify the tricky action, and up to 10 trailers can be stored in the bakkie’s memory for easy access later on.
Following the introduction of the Tremor, the Pro Trailer Backup Assist feature will also be fitted as standard on the Wildtrak X, Ranger Platinum, and Ranger Raptor, and be an option on the standard Wildtrak variants.
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