The Troller Pantanal was a mid-size pickup truck made by the Brazilian off-road manufacturer Troller Veículos Especiais from 2006 to 2008. It was intended as a basic, robust alternative to the increasingly luxurious pickups then on the Brazilian market, but only 77 were built.
Troller Pantanal at a glance
| Maker | Troller Veículos Especiais S/A, Brazil |
|---|---|
| Class | mid-size pickup truck |
| Production | 2006–2008 |
| Built | 77 |
| Recall | all 77, February 2008 |
| Reason for recall | possible cracks in the chassis |
| Other concern | possible loss of stability and steering control in sudden manoeuvres |
| Outcome | Ford took the trucks back against compensation at FIPE table value |
| Successor | none; Ford later ruled out selling a replacement |
The two Wikipedia articles are short and overlap; the article stays with what they state.
History of the Troller Pantanal
A basic pickup
Troller began production of the Pantanal in 2006. The company positioned it as a rustic, simple machine for buyers who did not want the growing luxury of the pickups sold in Brazil at the time. It was built alongside the Troller T4 off-roader, the two-door fibreglass-bodied 4×4 that made the brand known.
The recall of 2008
In February 2008 Ford, which by then owned Troller, announced a recall of all 77 Pantanal trucks. The recall was ordered because cracks could form in the chassis and, according to Ford, because the truck could lose stability and directional control in sudden manoeuvres, either of which could lead to an accident. Ford said it would take back every truck, which made the model obsolete unless an owner chose to keep it.
Why the model ended
Accounts in the Brazilian press at the time suggested that Ford preferred to buy the trucks back rather than keep a spares and service structure for them for years, and that it did not want a low-volume local model competing in a market where Ford sold mostly European-designed vehicles. The compensation paid to owners was based on the FIPE table value of the truck. No successor was built, and the Pantanal remains a footnote in the story of a company that itself closed in 2021.
Design and features
- Purpose: a simple, rugged alternative to luxury pickups.
- Rarity: only 77 examples were ever built.
- Total recall: every truck was taken back in 2008.
- Short life: two years in production, no successor.
Troller Pantanal versions
- Pantanal (2006–2008): the only version, a mid-size pickup.
The pickup was the stablemate of the Troller T4 off-roader, and more vehicles from the brand are in the Troller collection.
Sources
- Troller Pantanal, English Wikipedia: production, numbers, recall
- Troller Pantanal, Portuguese Wikipedia: market position, recall, compensation
