2021 Ford F-150 Tremor: Raptor-lite works to play it down the middle
Think of this as the happy medium between a standard F-150 and the Raptor to come.
Ford's ready to get dirty with the 2021 F-150, on Tuesday revealing the latest addition to the truck's lineup: the F-150 Tremor. It's sort of like an F-150 Raptor on a diet, but it mixes a healthy combination of every day livability and tougher off-road gear to perhaps make this the "just right" F-150 for many.
Speaking of the off-road gear, let's take a closer look. The F-150 Tremor starts life as a standard F-150 in SuperCrew guise and comes exclusively with Ford's twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine and four-wheel drive. From there, Ford focused on the truck's suspension to stamp it with far more off-road credentials than the standard pickup. Retuned front and rear springs, revised hub knuckles and upper control arms and specific monotube shocks all play a part. The new shocks provide softer damping at lower speeds, but can take a beating when it's time to play hard in the dirt. Front- and rear-locking differentials are standard, and eventually, Ford will put a Torsen limited-slip differential on the options menu, too.
Off-roading is nothing without tires, so Ford slaps a set of 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain tires on the 2021 F-150 Tremor, which wrap 18-inch wheels. The truck sits one inch taller with all the goods onboard, and provides 1.5 inches more suspension travel up front and an inch more at the rear. Ford plans to offer the Tremor in three equipment grades, but each subtrim, so to speak, will come with all the upgraded off-road bits. The nifty Pro Power Onboard generator is one of the options as well.
While the important stuff all tucks away under the skin, Ford gave the F-150 Tremor a few light brush strokes of cosmetic change to help the truck look the part. Each truck gets a Raptor-style bash plate, fixed off-road running boards and splashes of Active Orange throughout, notably in the grille and badges. The inside gets similar Tremor details. And for those who load up on one of the range-topping Tremors, they'll have access to the optional off-road technology such as Trail Turn Assist, a 360-degree camera and One Pedal Driving, among other systems.
Ford's busy shipping the first standard F-150s to dealers as you read this and it won't be until next summer that the F-150 Tremor starts landing at dealers. We'll learn about prices closer to the launch date.
