Troller Veículos Especiais S/A (Troller) was a Brazilian off-road vehicle manufacturer. Founded in 1995 in Horizonte, Ceará, it became a subsidiary of Ford in 2007. The Troller T4 was a flagship vehicle, which had featured successfully in several rally races around the world, including the Dakar Rally.
Etymology
The name Troller is a Brazilian adaptation of the English word Troll, which refers to a character of the Scandinavian legends that dwells forests and caves of Norway.
History
Troller started in 1995, by Rogério Farias. In April 1996, the first prototype was built.
In 1997, the company was bought by the entrepreneur Mário Araripe, who formed a partnership with Rogério Farias; the first gasoline-powered T4 was built. The mass-production of the vehicle started in 1999, when a factory was built in the municipality of Horizonte.
In 2005, a manufacturing plant opened in Angola to build the T4 for the African market. In January 2007, Ford do Brasil announced Troller's acquisition for .
On 14 December 2009, a Troller made the news when it cleared São Paulo's flooded streets during a news broadcast, at the time, the company played along and tried to find the driver. The T4 received a redesign in 2014.
The Troller plant in Horizonte was closed by the end of 2021, with Ford ending all its production in Brazil. The brand and the Technology was not put for sale, just the industrial complex which comprises a land of with of floor area. The special tax regime, valid until 2025, would also be linked to the factory.
Models
Troller Pantanal (2006–2008) Troller T4 3.2 Turbodiesel (2015–2021)
See also
TAC Stark - another Brazilian four-wheel drive vehicle.
