By Derek Price
Automotive Writer
Sport trucks can be an awful lot of fun. And fun is the whole point of the Ford Tremor, a special version of the F-150 designed to go fast and look good, not necessarily to do actual work.
Yes, it’s got a bed, and yes, it can do some towing. But at its core, this truck is about making you smile when you mash on the gas pedal, rocketing from 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds — just a few ticks more than the legendary SVT Lightning pickup.
The Tremor’s secret sauce is simple: putting Ford’s popular, turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine in the lightest version of the F-150 with a regular cab and short wheelbase. It also gets a 4.10 rear axle to help it launch swiftly.
Until now, the 365-horsepower EcoBoost engine has only been available in the bigger, heavier versions of this truck, so putting that much power into a lighter weight platform makes the Tremor hustle almost like a sports car.
This truck also turns heads with bold, brash graphics on the body to build on Ford’s FX appearance package. Black badges, a black grille and matte-black wheels finish off the sinister, sporty look almost like a custom truck.
Matte-black wheels and attention-grabbing graphics on the body make the 2014 Ford Tremor sport truck stand out. A powerful engine makes this a fast, thrilling truck to drive.
Driving a truck like this defies logic, though, which can add to the enjoyment in a twisted way. Its only configuration has two bucket seats in the single cab, which means it holds exactly the same number of people as my tiny Mazda Miata. The short bed limits its usefulness as a work truck, and its 16-mpg city fuel rating makes it a pricey way to transport two people.
Still, for someone who wants a flashy, fast toy, boy it’s a lot of fun. It’s the kind of vehicle that you need in the same way you need a Porsche or Ferrari — not because your left brain has weighed the pros and cons, but simply because it feels good to your caveman instincts.
The other thing you’ve got to consider is that Ford’s awesome new-generation F-150 is just about to go on sale. While I haven’t driven the aluminum-intensive 2015 truck, I have been inside it and can say it’s a giant leap over the outgoing model that the Tremor is based on.
If I were in the market for a truck right now, I’d be awfully tempted to wait on the new model so I could be driving Beethoven instead of Justin Bieber, preferring the refinement of the new truck’s cabin over the juvenile thrills of the old one. But that’s just me.
The sporty theme continues inside the Tremor with contrasting-color stitching on the seats and steering wheel. Still, next year’s F-150 cabin promises to be a big improvement.
On the flip side, Ford has already announced that the Tremor is disappearing after this year. It’s a one-off model, and considering how seldom trucks like this hit the market, it’s a rare chance for sport-truck buyers to make their dreams come true.
If your bedroom walls were once covered with posters of the GMC Syclone, the Viper-powered Ram or the wicked SVT Lightning, now’s your chance to own a new truck that’s built just for the fun of it.
Ford has birthed a quick, sharp-looking pickup, and it’s a fabulous way to cap off the current generation F-150’s life.
At a Glance
What was tested?
2014 Ford F-150 4X4 Regular Cab ($38,385). Options: Tremor package ($1,795), Tremor Plus package ($1,995), FX appearance package ($2,480), spray-in bed liner ($475). Price as tested (including $1,195 destination charge): $46,325
Wheelbase: 125.9 in.
Length: 213.2 in.
Width: 97 in.
Height: 74.8 in.
Engine: 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 (365 horsepower, 420 lbs.-ft.)
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Estimated Mileage: 16 city, 22 highway
RATINGS
Style: 9
Performance: 8
Price: 6
Handling: 6
Ride: 5
Comfort: 6
Quality: 5
Overall: 7
Video Review:
2014 Ford Tremor
http://bit.ly/fordtremor
Why buy it?
It’s fast and fun, with a flashy graphics package and powerful engine. Putting 365 horsepower into a short-wheelbase, regular-cab package makes the Tremor ridiculously enjoyable to launch from stoplights.