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Ford’s Factory in Ceará Closed, and a Group of Entrepreneurs Aims to Revive It in 2025 to Produce a New 4×4

Written by Bruno Teles
Published on 24/06/2025 at 14:46
A Morte e Vida da Troller: A História da Fábrica no Ceará que a Ford Fechou e o Futuro que a Espera em 2025
A Morte e Vida da Troller: A História da Fábrica no Ceará que a Ford Fechou e o Futuro que a Espera em 2025
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After Ford Closed The Iconic Factory In Ceará, A New R$ 400 Million Project Promises To Transform The Site Into An Electric Car Hub, While Former Engineers Create A Spiritual Successor To The T4 Jeep.

The Story Of Troller Is One Of The Most Striking And Bittersweet Chapters In The Brazilian Automotive Industry. What Started As The Dream Of An Engineer In Ceará Became A Cult Brand, Was Acquired By A Global Giant, And Ultimately Discontinued. The Closure Of The Ford Factory In Ceará In 2021 Seemed Like The End Of The Line.

However, The Story Of The Horizonte Plant Took A Turn. In 2025, The Site Prepares To Rebirth As A Modern Automotive Hub, While The Spirit Of The Troller Jeep Survives In The Hands Of Its Original Creators. This Is The Saga Of The Death And Life Of A National Icon.

The Rise Of Troller (1995-2007)

Troller Was Born In 1995, In Horizonte (CE), From The Vision Of Engineer Rogério Farias. Inspired By The Trolls Of Scandinavian Mythology, He Aimed To Create A Robust And Reliable 4×4 Vehicle. The Project Gained Momentum In 1997, When Businessman Mário Araripe Acquired The Company And Started Line Production.

The Iconic Troller T4 Jeep Was Officially Launched In 1999 And Quickly Built A Reputation For Durability, Being Tested And Approved In Rallies Throughout Brazil. In 2006, The Brand Even Tried To Launch A Pickup, The Pantanal, But The Project Ultimately Did Not Move Forward Due To Structural Issues.

The Ford Era: The Strategic Acquisition And The End Of Independence (2007-2021)

The Ford Factory In Ceará Closed And A Group Of Entrepreneurs Tries To Resurrect It In 2025 To Produce A New 4x4

In Early 2007, Ford Announced The Acquisition Of Troller For Around R$ 400 Million. The Main Motivation, According To Analysts, Was Strategic: To Inherit The Generous Tax Incentives That The Factory In Ceará Had And Apply Them To Its High-Volume Production In Other Plants.

Under Ford’s Command, The Troller T4 Was Modernized. In 2015, A Second Generation Was Launched, Which Began Using The Platform And Robust 3.2 Turbo Diesel Engine From The Ford Ranger Pickup. The Jeep Became More Powerful And Refined, But This Integration Made It Completely Dependent On Ford, Sealing Its Future Fate.

The Closure Of The Ford Factory In Ceará In 2021

On January 11, 2021, Ford Shocked Brazil By Announcing The End Of All Its Vehicle Production In The Country. The Decision Included The Closure Of The Ford Factory In Ceará. The Last Troller T4 Unit Rolled Off The Assembly Line In September Of That Year, And In November, The Plant Ceased All Operations.

The Most Controversial Part Was Ford’s Refusal To Sell The Troller Brand. The Company Only Sold The Physical Assets Of The Factory But Retained The Intellectual Property. The Move Was Seen As A Way To Eliminate A Direct Competitor To The Ford Bronco, Which The Company Was Launching Globally, Ensuring No Other Group Could Continue To Produce The Ceará Jeep.

The New Factory And The Investment Of R$ 400 Million For 2025

The Ford Factory In Ceará Closed And A Group Of Entrepreneurs Tries To Resurrect It In 2025 To Produce A New 4x4

After The Closure, The Government Of Ceará Took Over Negotiations And, In September 2024, Signed An Agreement To Acquire Ford’s Plant. It Then Announced A Partnership With Comexport, The Largest Foreign Trade Company In Brazil, To Reactivate The Site.

The New Project Is Ambitious. With An Investment Of R$ 400 Million, The Former Troller Factory Will Be Transformed Into A Multinational Automotive Hub. Starting In 2025, The Site Will Assemble Vehicles For Different Manufacturers, Focusing On Electric And Hybrid Cars, In An Innovative Business Model For Brazil.

The Passion That Did Not Die

Although The Troller Brand Has Been Discontinued By Ford, Its Spirit Survives. The Community Of “Trolleiros” Remains Active, And The T4 Became A Cult Classic In The Used Market.

More Importantly, The Knowledge That Created The Jeep Has Not Been Lost. A Group Of Former Troller Engineers Founded A New Company, Adventures Off Road, And Is Launching The Guepardo, A New 4×4 Vehicle That Carries The DNA Of Troller. The Guepardo Uses A 1.6 Turbo Engine From Volkswagen And A Philosophy Of Robustness And Simplicity, Being Considered The Spiritual Successor Of The Ceará Icon.

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Carlos Cézar de Freitas
Carlos Cézar de Freitas
27/06/2025 12:16

O nome do projeto, é CEZARSWELL.

Carlos Cézar de Freitas
Carlos Cézar de Freitas
27/06/2025 12:11

Sempre tem me preocupado em solucionar o problema da Troller.
Na época, tinha dado uma sugestão de pelo menos mudar o motor do Troller para diminuir os altos custos.
Pois tenho um projeto de uma FONTE DE ENERGIA, através de elementos de movimentos “Raros”, que produz altíssimos TORQUES, a baixíssimos custos.
Inclusive hoje tenho melhorado cada vez mais no seu desenvolvimento.
Espero que o novos engheiros da Aventures Off Road, entre em contato comigo.
Grato.

Josué
Josué
26/06/2025 21:57

Os engenheiros estão certos é mudar o nome,e nossos jipinhos ganham secesso..

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Bruno Teles

Falo sobre tecnologia, inovação, petróleo e gás. Atualizo diariamente sobre oportunidades no mercado brasileiro. Com mais de 7.000 artigos publicados nos sites CPG, Naval Porto Estaleiro, Mineração Brasil e Obras Construção Civil. Sugestão de pauta? Manda no brunotelesredator@gmail.com

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