2020 Nissan Titan
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Nissan Titan
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Year:2020
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Engine:V8
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Horsepower @ RPM:400
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Torque @ RPM:413
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Displacement:5.6 L
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A few changes and tweaks make the Titan a better all-rounded package!
Pickups and SUVs used to carry the same design for decades together because no one bought them for their looks, really. But thanks to the changing times, automakers tend to refresh their big, butch vehicles as frequently as hatches and sedans. Nissan Titan is the latest example. The pickup truck’s current-gen was launched three years back, and the company has already rolled out the facelift. That’s what competition can do to you. The Titan comes with a few changes to the aesthetics and the drivetrain. Can you believe this is the same company that is running the same generation of the Patrol/Armada since 2010?
Latest Nissan Titan news and reviews:
The first-generation Nissan Titan was a bold, brash, revolutionary pickup. Back in 2003, it marched into Detroit’s stronghold with a monster 5.6-liter V8 engine — making a then-mighty 300 horsepower — and an aggressive, head-turning design. It was the first and last time Nissan set out to make a class-leading full-size pickup truck. Nearly two decades later, the current Titan hasn’t changed dramatically under the skin or under the hood.
These days, it’s Ram that’s making waves. In the famously brand-loyal segment, Ram started winning market share with the 2009 model’s unusually smooth ride. It continued its luxury focus by introducing an extra-posh interior in the current generation, which arrived as a 2019 model. Smooth, quiet, elegantly finished, and filled with advanced technology, the current Ram 1500 is a master of civility while still offering commendable capability. The 2020 model also marks the return of a capable yet fuel-efficient “EcoDiesel” engine.
But even if Nissan isn’t making headlines anymore, it never stopped making Titans. It introduced the second-generation Titan as a 2017 model, and it followed up with new features, upgraded infotainment, and some mechanical updates for 2020. We recently spent back-to-back weeks in the updated Titan and an EcoDiesel-equipped Ram 1500. Here’s what we learned about these two trucks.
2020 Nissan Titan - Driven
The Titan is in Nissan’s lineup since 2004. The pickup truck’s current-gen was launched four years back and now the company has already rolled out the facelift. The 2020 model brings in a few significant changes to the truck. On the outside, the changes are subtle, but they are noteworthy under the hood.
Nissan dropped the Cummins mill and the Titan can now be had only with the 5.6-liter V-8 mill. What’s more, it comes with a new transmission and a power boost. However, is the Titan a worthy alternative to the established trucks like the F-150 and the Silverado?
2020 Nissan Titan
Pickups and SUVs used to carry the same design for decades together because no one bought them for their looks, really. But thanks to the changing times, automakers tend to refresh their big, butch vehicles as frequently as hatches and sedans. Nissan Titan is the latest example. The pickup truck’s current-gen was launched three years back, and the company has already rolled out the facelift. That’s what competition can do to you. The Titan comes with a few changes to the aesthetics and the drivetrain. Can you believe this is the same company that is running the same generation of the Patrol/Armada since 2010?
2020 Nissan Titan Debuts with more powerful V-8; Diesel engine discontinued
After three years on the market, the second-generation Nissan Titan was revised for its mid-cycle facelift. The 2020 Titan truck was unveiled at the 2019 State Fair of Texas with an updated exterior design, a revised V-8 engine, and extra features inside the cabin and in the technology department. Let’s have a closer look at what’s new.
There’s More Than Meets The Eye in This Teaser for the 2020 Nissan Titan
The Nissan Titan was introduced to the market in late 2003 after four years of development and being previewed by the 2001 Alpha T concept. That generation ran a remarkable 12 years before Nissan introduced the second-generation model for the 2016 model year. The pickup segment is much hotter than it once was, and Nissan isn’t taking any chances. That’s why we’re looking at the teaser you see here. Not only does it preview a sizeable facelift for the 2020 Nissan Titan, but it also hints at the design of the update Nissan Patrol, and a hotter off-road model that could take on the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro and the Ford F-150 Raptor. Nissan hasn’t said much about the facelifted model, but some leaks of the new Patrol and the teaser does give us a little bit to talk about.
2019 Nissan Titan Rocky Ridge Concept
At the Nissan USA stand at the Chicago Motor Show we had the chance to see a rather surprising and intimidating truck called the Nissan Titan K2 Rocky Ridge Concept. It is a lifted Titan truck, engineered by Rocky Ridge, specialists in “making big bad lifted trucks” with more than 30 years of experience. Although revealed in concept guise, let me tell you that the Rocky Ridge Titan K2 is ready to pounce. The Georgia-based truck magicians made sure of it with a comprehensive set of additions that made this Titan K2 Rocky Ridge Concept as tough and as terrifying as possible. This is what we learned about it at the Show.
The Best Full-Size Pickups Ranked from Last to First
The best full-sized pickups in the market are often those that give you the best of a lot of worlds. It’s not enough for a pickup to look good or boast a luxurious interior. It’s not even enough to have the most powerful engine. A good pickup has all of those things to go with impressive handling and driving qualities, as well as towing and hauling capabilities. Like the image the segment presents as do-it-all vehicles, a good pickup has to, quite literally, do it all. That said, not every pickup can do it as well as some of its contemporaries. There are those that excel in a few things but don’t much up as well in other respects. Then there are those that not only excel at one thing; they excel at everything. On that end, we’ve made a list of the best full-sized pickups in the market today, ranked from last to first.
2018 Nissan Red Cross Ultimate Service Titan
Days after Land Rover showcased a one-off Discovery Sport that was developed specifically for the Austrian Red Cross, Nissan is doing the same for the American Red Cross with the introduction of the Ultimate Service Titan. As its name implies, the Ultimate Service Titan isn’t your typical Nissan Titan pickup. It’s a mobile command center that’s developed to respond to disasters and emergencies without breaking stride. The Nissan Ultimate Service Titan is the latest manifestation of a partnership between Nissan and the American Red Cross, one that, in the last five years alone, has raised $2.5 million in donations for the Red Cross. You can add the Nissan Ultimate Service Titan to that list now. The one-off emergency response vehicle debuted at the Miami Auto Show.
Nissan TITAN and TITAN XD Get a New Lift Kit From Icon Vehicle Dynamics
The Nissan Titan is already one of the most capable pickups in the market, but even something as impressive as the Titan isn’t immune to added improvements. That’s why Nissan, in partnership with Icon Vehicle Dynamics, is now offering a way to lift the Titan’s suspension, increasing the Titan’s suspension by up to three inches, giving owners of the pickup more reason to enjoy the outdoors.
Nissan Debuts Suspension Lift Kit for Titan & Titan XD
Jeep isn’t the only automaker now offering factory-backed lift kits. That’s right Nissan is launching a suspension lift for the Titan and Titan XD pickups. The hardware comes from ICON Vehicle Dynamics, a well-respected company that designs and builds suspension lifts and other off-road gear for trucks and SUVs. The lift kit will give Titans up to three inches of additional height while not voiding the truck’s factory warranty.
Continue reading for more information.
Where is the Nissan Titan’s V-6 Option?
When the second-generation Nissan Titan half-ton pickup began rolling off its Canton, Mississippi assembly line in late 2016 for the 2017 model year, it was powered by a heavily revised 5.6-liter V-8, but Nissan promised an all-new V-6 on some unknown future date. Most industry experts figured the Nissan would wait until its fleet-minded single cab models started production, but that time has come and gone. Recently Nissan released its detailed information on the 2018 Titan, and while pricing has increased by $200 across the trim lines, no V-6 was announced.
That’s got us asking questions. After all, a V-6 Titan with a lower base price and higher fuel economy would be very attractive for fleet operators needing to spend as little money as possible. As it stands, the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and Ram 1500 all come standard with V-6 engines. Only the Toyota Tundra comes standard with a V-8. Toyota, however, completely dropped the ultra-slow selling single cab Tundra for 2017, showing just how little Toyota cares about reaching fleet customers.
In a recent interview with Wards Auto, Nissan’s senior VP of product planning for Nissan North America, Michael Bunce, said, a V-6 Titan is still “in the plan.” Bunce did not comment on Nissan’s timeline, however. One theory is Nissan is waiting on the next-generation Frontier pickup to debut in 2018, and with it, an all-new V-6. Since the Frontier and Titan are built in the same plant, the engine could easily be shared between the trucks. When Wards Auto asked Bunce about it, he said, “I can’t give you any specific details on that, but we will be moving in that direction.”
Continue reading for more information.
Nissan Announces Pricing For 2018 Titan, Titan XD
Nissan has announced pricing for its 2018 Titan and Titan XD models, along with the price for the pickups’ new Midnight Edition. Both trucks carry over unchanged from 2017, including cab, bed, trim, and engine configurations. As such, Nissan is only upping the price by $200 across the board. The monochromatic Midnight Edition, which brings several visual updates to the trucks, adds an extra $1,250 to the MSRP.
The Titan and Titan XD are slowing gaining steam in the highly competitive pickup market, selling 7,679 examples in November inside the U.S. That’s up from only 4,114 in October and 3,773 in September. While these numbers are far less than Ford, GM, and Ram’s monthly truck sales, Nissan is playing out a strategy. Titan sales have been targeted to certain truck-centric markets like Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. This allows the automaker to focus its marketing dollars while allowing its Canton, Mississippi assembly plant to ramp up production.
Nissan’s overall truck strategy has the half-ton Titan competing against stalwarts like the Silverado, F-150, Ram 1500, and Tundra, while the Titan XD carves out its own niche market in between the half-ton and three-quarter ton weight classes. Nissan is also betting big with its association to Cummins, which provides the optional 5.0-liter V-8 turbodiesel offered in the XD.
For our opinions and driving impressions, check out our review of the 2017 Titan and 2016 Titan XD.
Continue reading for the full pricing information.
2018 Nissan Titan AT-M6 Walker
Stars Wars: The Last Jedi is hitting theaters next week, and like in year’s past, Nissan is hitching its wagon on the monolithic movie franchise. We saw the fruits of that partnership last year with the launch of the Nissan Rogue One Edition. This year, Nissan and LucasFilms are upping the ante by launching a whole fleet of Stars Wars-inspired creations, including the vehicle you see here.
This is a Nissan Titan, or at least it was until it was redesigned to look more like one of those giant AT-M6 Walker bots that the First Order deployed against the Resistance in The Force Awakens. The overall look and the details that went into creating the Titan Star Wars is a feast for the senses. We should give credit to Vehicle Effects for making this transformation. The California-based company is famous in Hollywood circles for building some of the best cars to hit the silver screen, including all the vehicles in The Fast and Furious and Marvel Cinematic Universe franchises. In addition to the Titan, Vehicle Effects also created the Nissan Altima Special Forces TIE Fighter, Nissan Maxima Kylo Ren, Nissan Maxima Kylo Ren’s TIE Silencer, Nissan Maxima Captain Phasma, Nissan Rogue Poe Dameron’s X-Wing with BB8, and Nissan Rogue Sport A-Wing.
Continue after the jump to read more about the Nissan Star Wars Edition
Nissan Titan XD Snow Plow Package Is Ready for a White Christmas
Recent U.S. winters have had greater than average snowfall, and it seems that the upcoming cold season won’t be any different. Nissan is doing something about it, though, by offering the Titan XD with snow plow and all the accessories needed to turn the pickup truck into a reliable, commercial or personal snow remover. Called the Snow Plow Prep Package, this special winter upgrade was showcased at the 2017 SEMA Show and will become available this fall.
The bundle includes snow plows from five leading manufacturers, so you get to choose between Boss, Fisher, Meyer, SnowEx, and Western. The package also comes with higher capacity front springs that increase front gross axle weight rating (GAWR) capacity by from 4,325 to 4,900 pounds). This allows fitment of snow plows on all three body configurations of the Titan XD (Single Cab, King Cab, and Crew Cab). It’s worth mentioning that the heavy-duty springs aren’t anything new, being already available for the Titan XD with the Heavy Duty GAWR Package, which makes vehicles equipped with that package snow plow-capable.
All these vehicles are powered by the massive, 5.6-liter V-8 engine rated at 390 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to move large quantities of snow off anything from neighborhood alleys to interstate highways. There’s no word as to how much the Snow Plow Prep Package costs, but commercial buyers will benefit from a $500 Nissan Upfit Allowance to help defer the cost of the equipment.
Nissan Removed the Fender Badge From 2018 Titan And Nobody Noticed
It looks like Nissan snuck a cosmetic change onto the 2018 Titan half-ton pickup without anybody noticing – even two months after the automaker released photos of the 2018 Titan Midnight Edition. Gone is the large fender badge that denoted the V-8 engine was under the hood. The badge was styled like a heat vent designed to keep engine bay temperatures down but offered no such functionality.
So, how did the change get noticed?
Well, it was a commenter who noticed the missing badge on Nissan’s new No Lazy Horses commercial – at least that’s the first mention I had seen. Digging deeper shows Nissan made zero mention of the missing badge in its press release on the 2018 Titan Midnight Edition back in August, nor has Nissan released info on changes for the standard 2018 Titan. Reading the commercial’s on-screen fine print does confirm the truck is a 2018 half-ton model. How about that?
The heavier-duty Titan XD will keep the fender badge, however, since it has two engine options – the 5.6-liter V-8 and the 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbodiesel. Originally, the half-ton Titan was slated to get a V-6 as standard equipment soon after it launched, making the fender badge necessary for distinguishing between the engine choices. That begs the question: does the missing fender badge mean the Titan isn’t getting a V-6 option?
On the other hand, you’ll notice the door badge now reads “Titan V8” on the No Lazy Horses truck. That’s new. The 2017 Titan doors didn’t have the V8 designation and only said “Titan.” Maybe this is Nissan’s way of better separating the Titan from the Titan XD? I reached out to Nissan for answers. Kevin Raftery of Nissan’s Truck and SUV Communications team said, “[There is] nothing new to report at this point other than what has already been communicated – a new V-6 engine will follow at a later date.” Still, we’ve got to wonder how late that “later date” will be.
What do you think? When will Nissan bring a V-6 to the Titan? Did you notice the badge was missing before I did? Let me know in the comments below.
Nissan’s New 2018 Titan Commercial Is Hilariously Catchy
Nissan is fighting tooth and nail to gain ground in the highly competitive half-ton pickup market. Sales have been slower than expected, but that might change with this commercial. It’s about the funniest truck commercial we’ve seen in a while – mostly because truck ads usually take a more serious approach. It’s called No Lazy Horses and it’s Super Bowl-quality funny thanks to a catchy song, a memorably pudgy main character, and some antagonizing lazy “horses” that are impossible to unsee.
Besides being funny, the one-minute, 30-second commercial takes a hard swing at the Ford F-150. Of course, the truck’s badges are removed, but anybody with any sense knows the white, Crew Cab truck is a Ford. Truck fans will easily place it as the previous-generation, steel-bodied F-150.
As the story goes, the F-150 gets stuck in the mud and its driver, Clark, must coax the truck’s “horses” to perform by doing an embarrassing song and dance routine. Pretty pretty ponies, pretty pretty please, I’m a dancing ponyboy, begging pretty please Well, unfortunately for Clark’s pride, the hero pulls up to witness the scene in his shiny new, 2018 Nissan Titan Crew Cab 4x4. The hero, Clark’s payload of pipes, and what’s left of Clark’s dignity ride off into the sunset, abandoning the F-150 to rot away.
Despite horsepower not having anything to do with a 2WD truck being buried axle-deep in mud, the commercial is incredibly memorable and should even resonate with people who know nothing about truck, payload, or lazy horses. That stupid song is a verifiable earworm, and those trashy, basement-dwelling horses are the stuff of Internet legends.
Nicely done, Nissan. Thanks for the laugh.
2017 Nissan Titan & Frontier Midnight Editions
Nissan is playing off the massive hype surrounding the total solar eclipse by introducing three new Midnight Edition trucks for 2018: the Titan, Titan XD, and Frontier. Not surprisingly, the trucks are blacked out from hood to hitch with black interiors and several popular add-on features included. Not only does this tie in perfectly with today’s celestial event, it complements Nissan’s huge success with the Midnight Edition treatment on its other vehicles, which are said to sell twice as quick as standard models.
Billy Hayes, Nissan’s division vice president for North America sales, said, “Following the tremendous response to the original Maxima SR Midnight Edition, we’ve created a complete portfolio of the popular blacked-out Midnight Edition look among our core Nissan sedan, crossover and SUV models. We expect the strong customer appeal to continue with the expansion of the Midnight Edition package to our Titan, Titan XD and Frontier pickups.” Nissan isn’t the only automaker doing well with special edition models boosting sales. Chevrolet is killing it with special editions like the Redline, Rally, High Desert, Custom Sport HD, RealTree, Special Ops, Alaskan, and Black Out editions. Oh, and Chevy also has its own Midnight Edition with a blacked-out appearance, too. Ram also plays the game, offering its Ram pickups with the Limited Tungsten, Subline Green, Copper, Night, Rebel Black, and Rebel Mojave Sand editions. Hayes followed up by saying, “A great custom look straight from the factory is what buyers really appreciate. We’re finding that buyers in the millennial age group especially are attracted to the Midnight Editions. Last year, Nissan was ranked as the number one brand for millennial purchases.”
Speaking of purchases, the Titan, Titan XD, and Frontier Midnight Editions will go on sale starting in the late fall of 2017. Pricing has yet to be announced. For the full details on the trucks, keep reading below.
Nissan Titan XD PRO-4X Project Basecamp
Overlanding is growing from a niche market to the mainstream thanks to years of support from aftermarket manufacturers and the trendy idea of off-the-grid vacations. Nissan is tapping into the segment with this one-off custom Titan XD pickup designed to showcase the upgradability of the Titan XD with more than 60 aftermarket parts and accessories. The truck debuted at the 2017 Overland Expo West outside Flagstaff, Arizona where thousands gathered for the latest in overlanding gear.
Named Project Basecamp, this tricked-out Titan XD has been heavily modified to improve its off-road performance while carrying hundreds of pounds of equipment necessary for sustaining life miles away from civilization. The Cummins-powered Titan XD’s most prominent modifications include steel bumpers, fender flares, six-spoke wheels wrapped in 35-inch all-terrain Nitto tires, and the large cargo rack in the bed complete with a foldout tent. Fred Diaz, VP of Nissan America Trucks, said, “Overlanding is an exciting form of outdoor adventuring, taking participants into sometimes extreme terrain and climate conditions. We’re using the Project Basecamp to showcase the Titan XD PRO-4X model’s potential as the perfect platform for truck owners thinking of taking their adventures to the next level."
Continue reading for more information on Project Basecamp.
Will a New Strategy Make the Nissan Titan Relevant?
The Nissan Titan has never been a sales giant. Since its debut in 2003 and second-generation launch in 2016, the Titan has failed to capture a sizeable share of the full-size market share. It’s easy to understand why; Ford, General Motors, and Ram largely control the segment and buyers are fiercely brand loyal. But Nissan has a plan. Rather than attacking the Big Three head-on at the national level, the Japanese automaker is using precision to target just four U.S. cities – Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. Nissan is flooding these
loving areas with marketing dollars while supporting the local dealerships with extensive training on the Titan’s features.
The strategy might sound odd, but Nissan says its already working. The included dealerships saw monthly sales numbers quadruple to 4,033. Granted, four times nearly zero still pales in comparison to the Big Three’s sales numbers. Ford alone sells roughly 70,000 F-Series pickups every month, while GM sells around 58,000. Ram usually bounces around GM’s monthly sales figures. But Nissan won’t stay locked on these cities. Once its phase one is wrapped up, Nissan will expand this marketing strategy to six new cities, and then onto 40. Once Nissan’s goal of a five-percent market share in each city is achieved, the Titan’s marketing campaign will then move nationally. Nissan has more reasoning than just increasing sales in adopting this growth plan.
Continue reading for more on Nissan’s plans.
Nissan Titan And Titan XD Receive New King Cab Body Style
Nissan has finally introduced the King Cab body style for its Titan and Titan XD pickups. This marks the third and final body style offered by the Titan, adding to the four-door Crew Cab and two-door Regular Cab. All three cabs, combined with several bed lengths, cover a large portion of the personal and commercial pickup truck market, including fleet buyers. The King Cab utilizes rear-hinged doors for entry into the second-row bench seat. Nissan is also offering the industry’s first rear bench delete option, giving commercial buyers more interior cargo room without having to purchase the larger Crew Cab.
Fred Diaz, VP and GM for Nissan North America Trucks and Light Commercial Vehicles, summed up the Titan King Cab’s launch by saying:
“The launch of the new King Cab body is the last step in a journey that began in December 2015 with the debut of the breakthrough Titan XD, which continues to carve out a unique white space between competitors’ heavy-duty and half-ton trucks. Now, with the addition of a half-ton Titan, our new Endurance V-8, three body configurations, three bed lengths and a range of grade levels and equipment packages, we’re covering nearly every segment in the personal and commercial full-size truck markets. Add to that the industry’s best five-year/100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and the Titan family is even more compelling.”
The King Cab is offered on both the Titan and Titan XD, and can be paired with three trim levels. These include the base S grade, mid-level SV, and off-road biased PRO-4X. The truck will come standard with RWD, but 4WD is optional. All Titan models currently come standard with the new 5.6-liter Endurance V-8 backed by a seven-speed automatic transmission. Titan XDs can be optioned with the 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbodiesel, which is paired with an Aisin six-speed automatic built for heavy-duty use.
The half-ton Titan King Cab is rated to tow 9,420 pounds or haul 1.640 pounds in the bed. Opting for the Titan XD boosts those max numbers to 12,510 pounds and 2,710 pounds respectively.
There is more to the Titan King Cab, so keep reading for the full run-down.
Continue reading for more information.
2017 Nissan Motorsports Titan XD1 PRO-4X
The new Titan XD has been on the market for roughly a year now, and sales just aren’t what Nissan was hoping for. In an effort to help spur customer interest, Nissan has put together a one-off truck called the Titan XD1. It hails from Nissan Motorsports. It uses several Nissan-branded accessories, along with parts from aftermarket suppliers like ICON Vehicle Dynamics, Rigid Industries, N-Fab, EGR, and Method.
The truck is based on the 2017 Titan XD PRO-4X equipped with the optional 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbodiesel. The big oil-burner generates 310 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. Power is directed through a six-speed automatic transmission from Aisin before turning the electronically controlled transfer case.
Fred Diaz, VP and General Manager of Nissan North American trucks, says, "The Titan XD, with its available Cummins 5.0-liter V-8 turbodiesel engine, is a powerful platform that calls out for customization. We’re pleased to offer Titan XD owners so many ways to personalize their vehicles and also excited more and more companies are supporting Titan with aftermarket parts and accessories."
Vehicle customization at the factory and dealership level has become wildly popular these days, as evidenced by the massive number of “special editions” revealed at this year’s Chicago Auto Show. Nissan’s attempt at capturing attention with the Titan XD1 concept should go over well with those wanting a little something extra on their Titan pickup.
Let’s check out the details below.
Continue reading for more information.
2017 Nissan Titan Falls Short on IIHS Small-Overlap Crash Test
The new Nissan Titan half-ton did not fair well in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s small-overlap front crash test. The pickup only scored a “Marginal,” one level up from the lowest ranking of “Poor.” Testing revealed the Titan’s driver space was not maintained, with 11 inches of intrusion into the lower footwell. Such results would have likely resulted in injuries to the left foot and right leg, the IIHS says.
In the video above, it’s clear to see the barrier push the front left tire into the base of the A-pillar, deforming it rearward into the driver’s foot well area. Intrusion into the upper section of the cabin, around the dashboard, measured 7.4 inches and the steering column was pushed 3.5 inches rearward toward the crash test dummy. Still, the IIHS only noted possible injuries to its legs.
The IIHS breaks down its scores, noting possible injury to each area of the body, along with rating the structure and safety cage of the vehicle. The structure ranked “Marginal,” while the head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and restrains earned a score of “Good.” The lower leg and foot area scored the lowest rating of “Poor,” which combined with the “Marginal” rating of the structure and safety cage, led to an overall score of “Marginal.”
The 2017 Nissan Titan did well in all other crash testing. It scored a “Good” in the moderate overlap, side impact, roof strength test, and head restraints and seats. The rear seat LATCH system was rated an “Acceptable” in terms of ease-of-use. The Titan’s headlights didn’t fare so well, however, scoring a “Marginal.” It’s easier to give the Titan a pass on that rating though, as headlight evaluations are new to the IIHS’ testing regimen for 2017. The small-overlap crash test as been around since 2012.
So this begs the question – does this crash test result deter you from buying a Titan pickup? Let us know in the comments below.
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Nissan Jumps into Texas-Themed Truck Packages
The 2016 Texas State Fair is fully underway in Dallas and Nissan is joining ranks with Ram in offering a Texas-themed trim package for its 2017 Titan and Titan XD pickups. Nissan calls it the Texas Titan package and it brings unique exterior upgrades that give the trucks a one-off look. This also marks the first special edition Nissan has brought to the second-generation Titan pickup.
These exterior changes include a unique chrome grille, 20-inch chrome aluminum-alloy wheels, metallic-finish kick plates in the door jambs, a chrome exhaust pipe tip, floor mats with the Texas Titan logo, and Texas Titan exterior badging.
The Texas Titan package can be optioned onto the mid-grade SV and upper grade SL trim levels in both the half-ton Titan or three-quarter ton Titan XD. The Crew Cab is the only cab choice, but customers can choose between RWD or 4WD, or the two available engine options in the Titan XD. Those include the standard 5.6-liter Endurance V-8 and the 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbodiesel. The 5.6-liter V-8 is currently the only engine offered in the half-ton Titan. An entry level V-6 is expected to debut in the coming months.
"[The] Titan XD was named ’Texas Truck of the Year’ last fall by the Texas Auto Writers Association so it’s fitting to acknowledge the Lone Star State with this special vehicle," said Fred Diaz, division vice president and general manager of Nissan North America. "For native Texans like myself, the Texas Titan is the perfect representation of Texas attitude – big horsepower, big torque, huge capabilities."
Nissan might have the newest truck on the market, but it’s leading the segment in the longest bumper-to-bumper warranty. Both the Titan and Titan XD come with a five-year/100,000-mile warranty.
Continue reading for more information.
Nissan Launches "Steel to Wheels" Video
Production of the Nissan Titan and Titan XD is fully under way at Nissan’s Canton, Mississippi assembly plant. To celebrate, Nissan has released a short video called “Steel to Wheels” that highlights the plant, the assembly process, and the people that built the trucks.
Just like the video title suggests, the process starts as huge rolls of steel are unwound and stamped into doors, hoods, and beds to form the basic body structure. From there, the panels move into the body shop where the pieces are assembled together. The cab and bed are built separately before coming together just before the painting process begins.
In paint, workers closely inspect the bare metal, shaving off any imperfections with a grinder wheel. The bodies are then dunked in a cleaning solution that removes any oil, fingerprints, or debris before being primed with rust prohibitor. Paint is then applied in either a solid color or two-tone scheme. Those trucks with two-tone paint jobs spend extra time in the paint department since both colors have to be added separately. Another round of close inspections are done, looking for any type of imperfection in the body or paint.
From there, the Titan and Titan XD roll to the trim line. It’s here that the interiors are installed, including the carpet, headliner, dashboard, seats, and windows. It takes many workers during this stage, as most of the parts are installed by hand using pneumatic tools. With the body and interior assembled, the trucks meat up with the chassis, which is merging from its own assembly line were suspension and drivetrain components are added.
A massive cradle lowers the truck bodies onto the complete chassis. Workers then connect all the wiring harnesses, hoses, and tubes between the two sections. From here, final pieces like the grille, headlights, wheels, and tires are added. Workers then test all the computer systems to verify each are working properly. The trucks are then started for the first time, before driving off the assembly line.
Each Titan is put though its paces on a short road course where inspectors listen for any squeaks or rattles and look for any other anomalies. From there, each truck is loaded onto a transport truck for delivery to Nissan dealerships nationwide.
Erik Fields, the director of engineering for the Canton assembly plant, makes an interesting observation near the end of the video: every Titan truck has been built in the Canton assembly plant. Since Nissan introduced the first-generation Titan in 2003, every Titan calls Mississippi home.
Be sure to watch the video for all the details.
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Nissan Announces Titan Hauler XD Project Truck
Nissan decided to celebrate the last Micra Cup race of the 2016 season by doing something special. They built a one-off car cradle that fits into the bed of the Nissan Titan XD. Powered by an electro hydraulic pump, this aluminum rig lifts the Nissan Micra onto the Titan XD’s bed for hauling.
"With the Titan XD, we have recently launched one of the most capable and well-rounded pick-ups which creates an entirely new truck segment,” said Joni Paiva, president of Nissan Canada. “To top it all off, Nissan’s motorsport persona is alive and well in Canada through the Nissan Micra Cup spec series. The Titan Hauler XD project truck merges the vehicles at the opposite ends of the spectrum of Nissan vehicles available in the Canadian market by bringing together two vehicles in a visually spectacular way."
Motorsports in Action, a Quebec-based company, developed the project. Not only did MIA build the gurney rig, they also had to modify the Titan XD to hold all the weight. The Crew Cab pickup equipped with the Cummins turbodiesel has a payload capacity of 2,091 pounds from the factory. More was needed since the Nissan Micra alone weighs 2,302 pounds. Add to that the weight of the gurney rig and all its support structure. MIA reinforced the Titan XD’s chassis in strategic spots and beefed up the rear suspension system.
"I’ve had the opportunity to work with Nissan on several projects including the Micra Cup race cars and the Rogue Warrior extreme prototype,” said MIA owner Carl Hermez. “So when Nissan came to me with the idea of putting the race car in the bed of the TITAN XD, I was immediately excited by the challenge."
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Watch the Nissan Titan XD’s Assembly: Video
The assembly process for mass-production vehicles is immensely entertaining to watch. The swinging robot arms, the army of workers pieces parts together, the finished products rolling off the line under power – its all quite magical to see happen. Well, the guys at Trucks.com partnered with Nissan to produce this short video showing how the Titan XD goes from rolls of steel to a freshly polished truck.
The process takes place at Nissan’s Vehicle Assembly Plant in Canton, Mississippi. The plant employs nearly 6,400 people and covers 4.7 million square feet. In addition to the Titan XD, the plant also produces the half-ton Titan, the Murano SUV, the Frontier pickup, and the NV cargo and passenger vans.
For more on the Titan XD, be sure to check out our full review, as well as our first-drive impression review.
2017 Nissan Titan PRO-4X – Driven
Nissan released the Titan back in 2004 and basically sat on its laurels for more than a decade. Thankfully the automaker has seemingly more than made up for lost time with the 2016 Titan XD and this, the 2017 Titan. While both trucks share nearly identical designs, both inside and out, they are two trucks built for different purposes. I had gotten some quality seat time with the Titan XD at Nissan’s launch event in Arizona last year, but had yet to experience its half-ton little brother. That’s all changed.
I spent a full week with the Titan around my home turf of Central Florida. It’s not exactly truck country with rolling hills and grazing cattle, but I’m not picky. My tester came loaded out in the PRO-4X package with nearly every conceivable option besides a sunroof and Nissan’s in-bed storage boxes. Leather seats? Check. All the modern in-dash tech? Check. Trailer brake controls? Check. Enough 4WD equipment to make a Jeep Wrangler jealous? Check, yet again.
Early production units, like my tester, are only available in crew cab, short bed form. While more cab and bed configurations are coming, Nissan is smart to target the pickup segment’s core buyer first – the family. And that’s how I used this truck. I hauled my four-year-old in her car seat, the wife, and several other family members around town to various errands and destinations. Mall parking lots and smoothly paved residential streets were the norm.
So how’d the Titan handle daily living? Keep reading to find out.
Continue reading for the full driven review.
2017 Nissan Titan
The reimagined Titan is all-new for 2017 and closely follows its quasi heavy-duty big brother, the Titan XD. Both trucks share styling and interior designs, but not everything is equal. The half-ton Titan is built to compete against segment stalwarts including the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram 1500. As such, Nissan has expanded the Titan’s cab configurations to include Single, King, and Crew Cabs, along with adding trim levels that span the gambit of customer needs. The Titan does lack the drivetrain variety offered by the others, but the updated 5.6-liter V-8 and seven-speed automatic transmission are competitive.
As for how the half-ton Titan stacks up against the larger Titan XD, the Titan carries the same styling design as the Titan XD. It measures 79.5 inches wide – the same as the Titan XD – though is 14.7 inches shorter. That length is subtracted from both the bed area and the nose, just ahead of the fuel-filler door and the front tires, respectively. This can be attributed to the Titan’s unique half-ton frame, not found under the Titan XD. Nissan says even the lug nuts are different. The cab sizes remain the same, too, with the standard Titan offering all three cab configurations, meaning Single, King, and Crew Cabs are present. Three bed sizes are available, measuring 5.5, 6.5, and 8.0 feet in length. The Titan comes in five trim levels: S, SV, PRO-4X, SL, and Platinum Reserve.
Update 06/20/2017: Nissan has announced pricing for 2017 Titan King Cab models. Check the Prices section for the full details.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Nissan Titan.
2017 Nissan Titan Rundown: Video
The 2017 Titan half-ton is an incredibly important vehicle for Nissan. Not only does it complement the “heavier-duty” Titan XD, but it also competes directly with the pickup segment’s toughest rivals – those from GM, Ford, and Ram.
As you know, the Titan shares the same design language as the larger Titan XD. The half-ton truck does have a lower hood height and shorter front clip, but otherwise, is nearly identical. That’s great news since Nissan integrated so many handy features into the design.
As Nathan from TFL Truck shows, the Titan offers a roomy, versatile cabin. There’s even 16 cup holders in the Crew Cab model. What’s more, the truck offers things like multiple USB ports, a 110-outlet on the center console and another in the bed, and a lockable storage compartment under the second row folding bench seat.
Though driving impressions were embargoed when TFL Truck shot this video, Nathan does capture the deep rumbles of the heavily revised 5.6-liter Endurance V-8. Its 390 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque sound good. Nissan is scheduled to debut a new V-6 engine at a later date. The truck is also seen pounding over rough ground, with its PRO-4X package making it look easy.
For more, check out the video from TFL Truck.
2017 Nissan Titan XD Single Cab
The second-generation Nissan Titan and its heavy-duty counterpart, the Titan XD are the newest members of the full-size pickup segment. The “heavier-duty” Titan XD arrived in dealers for the 2016 model year, while the half-ton Titan will hit showrooms for 2017. Missing until now was a single cab version. Now as both the Titan and Titan XD roll out for 2017, both trucks can be had in a regular cab, long bed configuration.
Nissan’s obvious target is the fleet and commercial segment where regular cab, work trucks offer all the capability of their extended and crew cab counterparts, but with less buy-in cost. Sure, there’s only room for three, but until the late 1990s, that was normal for most pickups.
"Once we complete the roll-out of all Titan cab, bed, powertrain, and grade level configurations, our all-new Titan family will cover about 85 percent of the total light pickup marketplace," said Rich Miller, the chief product specials for Titan and Titan XD. "More importantly, “ he continues, “the Titan XD and Titan single cabs will have the power, torque, heavy duty chassis, and durability demanded by today’s demanding worksites – including the highest towing capacities and payloads in the lineup."
Did you catch that? The regular cab versions of the Titan trucks will have the highest payload and towing specs of the trucks’ lineups.
The addition of a regular cab also means Titan XD customers can choose from the three traditional cab sizes with three bed lengths. Like all trucks in the industry, the available wheelbase lengths limit the number of cab and bed configuration. You can’t get a regular cab, short bed Titan XD even if you wanted it. Nissan could potentially make that combination available on the half-ton Titan in the future.
Both the Titan and Titan XD regular cabs will be available the S and SV trims, giving fleet managers a choice between the base and mid-grade levels. In the Titan XD, two engine options and two drivetrain options are given. This includes the heavily revised 5.6-liter Endurance V-8 and the new 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbodiesel, along with the choice of 2WD or 4WD with either engine.
So let’s dive into the Titan XD regular cab for all the details.
Continue reading for more information.
Nissan Titan XD – Gas vs. Diesel Shootout!: Video
The guys over at TFL Truck are pitting Nissan’s newest truck against itself. Yep, it’s all about gasoline versus diesel here in this head-to-head test. The two trucks are equipped very similarly Both are the 2016 Titan XD in crew cab, short bed form. Both have 4WD and both are equipped to two some impressive loads. But which powerplant pulls harder?
Yeah, most will say the diesel, myself included. It’s a 5.0-liter turbodiesel from Cummins that makes 310 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. It’s hard to beat that. However, Nissan’s heavily updated 5.6-liter Endurance V-8 now sports direct injection, Variable Valve Event & Lift technology, and a high compression ratio of 11.2:1, allowing the big V-8 to produce 390 horses and 401 pound-feet of torque.
Transmission and gearing wise, the Cummins is backed by a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission while the Endurance is mated to Nissan’s seven-speed automatic gearbox. For maximum towing, it takes the Cummins to hit the Titan XD’s 12,300-pound limit.
So which powertrain wins out? You’ll have to watch TFL Trucks’ video to find out.
Continue reading for more info on the 2016 Nissan Titan XD.
2016 Chicago Auto Show – Best And Worst In Show
The gates are open at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show, and with those pesky journalists finally out of the way, the public can now enjoy all the vehicular goodness that North America’s “largest” auto show can muster. Special editions, refreshes, and brand-new models all dropped cover this year, with crossovers and SUVs served up as the main course, and new sedans and sports cars added as a tasty side dish. Picking winners and losers here is not exactly easy, but hey, this isn’t some elementary school talent show. Time to be ruthless.
There were a few clear standouts for Best In Show right from the start, but cutthroat competition to fill the remaining slots quickly followed. Picking vehicles for Worst In Show was also pretty tricky, but that’s why they pay me the big bucks.
So, without further ado…
Continue reading for the Best and Worst In Show at CAS 2016.
Nissan Unveils Titan XD Accessories At 2016 SHOT Show
The aftermarket pickup truck accessory market is big business and Nissan is looking to grab a bite of the action. At the 2016 annual Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nissan unveiled a wide selection of accessories to fit the all-new 2016 Nissan Titan XD. These accessories help upfit the Titan for outdoor use or for those with active lifestyles, making the SHOT Show the perfect place for the announcement.
"With 1,600 exhibitors filling 630,000 square feet of exhibit space, it’s a challenge to stand out. Fortunately, we have a couple of Titan XD pickups on hand, which always draw a crowd wherever they go," said Fred Diaz, president of North American trucks for Nissan. "The all-new Titan XD is the perfect canvas for customization and the SHOT Show is a great venue to spotlight our complete line of custom-fit, custom-designed and durability tested accessories."
Many of the accessories are custom-fit for the Titan XD, some even making use of the Titan’s Utili-track bed channels and cleat system. Nissan’s Titan Boxes, for example, fit snuggly against the inside bed rails of the truck, providing extra storage space while sill allowing room within the bed. Since the Titan Boxes fit within the bed, they can still be used with a tonneau cover or bed topper.
There’s also a sliding tool box that moves along the bed channels to accommodate cargo or easy access from the tailgate. Bed dividers, trailer hitches, chrome step rails, splash guards, seat covers, fog lights, and even off-road lights are available. There’s even a bed tent that secures inside the cargo box for an off-the-ground camping experience.
Best of all, if you purchase the accessories when you buy the Titan, the Nissan dealership will install the parts and protect them with a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty.
Continue reading for the full story.
Nissan’s latest commercial for its all-new 2016 Titan XD pickup is a welcomed breath of fresh air from the typical “bigger, better, stronger” ads that populate prime-time TV spots. The Tennessee-based automaker actually pays tribute to the Detroit Three – Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge – who paved the way in the pickup truck industry.
The sobering commercial, full of emotion-filled, dramatic scenes and narrated by a young boy, draws a parallel between the relationship between the Titan XD and the Detroit Three as to a child and parent. Just have a look at the video transcript:
We have all had a giant, someone who stood tall, who showed us how to be what we could become and how to get there. Who by heart or by hand, laid a path beneath our feet; whose footsteps we followed to come this far; and whose shoulders we stand upon to see how much farther we can go. To those who’ve gone before us – Chevy, Ford, Dodge – thank you. We see the way forward.
This chilling advertisement pulls at heartstrings and praises Nissan’s competitors for leading the way, only to suggest it’s time for the Titan XD to take over and lead the charge. The minute-thirty spot has certainly hit a chord with Internet viewers – the video has racked up two million views in four days.
The only other advertisement in recent memory of this caliber is Ram’s award-winning “Farmer” spot that features the legendary radio personality Paul Harvey reading his “So God Made a Farmer” speech originally spoken at the 1978 Future Farmers of America convention.
It’s refreshing to see such a humble yet awe-inspiring message from an automaker. Nissan will surely reap the benefits of the spot while earning respect from all three corners of Detroit. Nicely done, Nissan.
Hot on the heels of the 2016 Nissan Titan XD hitting showrooms, Nissan has released this, the Titan Warrior concept, at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Built on the back of a Titan XD, the Titan Warrior concept shows just how aggressive the truck can become, and just how daring Nissan can be.
"Truck buyers have a seemingly insatiable appetite for more content and more unique offerings," said José Muñoz, executive vice president of Nissan Motor Company and chairman of Nissan North America. "Even though our all-new 2016 Titan XD just started arriving at Nissan dealers nationwide last month, we are already exploring new territory where Titan might go in the future."
It’s highly unlikely the Warrior concept will make production, but we’re betting that Nissan is paying close attention to the public’s reaction to this truck’s highly modified off-road suspension and vastly reworked exterior appearance. Perhaps the automaker has something up its sleeve to battle the Ford F-150 Raptor.
Besides the design study, the Titan Warrior concept was built to pay tribute to Nissan’s off-road racing heritage, dating back to the old Hardbody pickups that raced in the Dakar Rally. It also builds atop the recent “Project Titan” build that used crowd sourcing to construct the most hard-core first-generation Titan pickups to ever come from Nissan. The truck was then used by two U.S. Military veterans to traverse some of the toughest terrain in Alaska in a build-up to the launch of the 2016 Titan XD.
So lets jump into what Nissan has done with this Titan Warrior concept.
Continue reading to learn more about the Nissan Titan Warrior Concept.
Nissan has officially released the pricing for the all-new 2016 Titan XD as the pickup truck finally goes on sale. The truck will carry a base price of $40,290 for the Crew Cab in S trim, while the range-topping Platinum Reserve Crew Cab in 4WD starts at $60,520 before options.
"This is a big day for Nissan, our retailers and our customers – figuratively and literally – as our new ‘Every Duty’ Nissan TITAN XD powers into showrooms across the country," said Dan Mohnke, vice president of Sales & Marketing Operations for Nissan North America. “There’s never been a TITAN like this and the diesel-powered TITAN XD Crew Cab is only the beginning."
Mohnke is certainly right about this only being the beginning. The Titan XD will soon have both Extended Cab and Single Cab configurations available, with different bed lengths to match. Also on the horizon is the availability of the heavily revised 5.6-liter gasoline V-8. The gasser will become the standard engine in the Titan XD, likely lowering the base price below that of the Cummins-powered trucks.
What’s more, Nissan will soon release the standard-duty version of the Titan. The half-ton version – simply called the Titan – is said to offer three cab configurations, a V-6 powerplant, as well as the 5.6-liter V-8 as an option. It is rumored to have its own styling, separating it from the Titan XD.
Initial Titan XD trucks are limited to the Crew Cab configuration with the 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbodiesel. Customers can choose between 2WD and 4WD, along with five trim levels. Those include S, SV, PRO-4X (4WD only) SL, and Platinum Reserve.
Nissan is charging $1,195 for destination and handling on top the MSRP. For a full list of prices, click “continue reading.”
Continue reading for more information
News that Nissan would have a gasoline V-8 powering the Titan XD came with the truck’s initial debut. What exactly that V-8 would be and how much power it would produce remained a mystery – until now. The automaker has pulled the covers off its newest powerplant slotted for both the Titan XD and the upcoming Titan pickup.
The new 5.6-liter V-8 may share its displacement and cylinder count with the outgoing Endurance V-8, but Nissan says that’s where the similarities stop. The new engine is a completely new design, fitted with the latest in truck engine tech that’s designed for both power and efficiency.
The engine comes with direct fuel injection and Nissan’s VVEL, or Variable Valve Event & Lift technology. That’s a fancy name for variable valve timing, but the system hydraulically controls the valve timing and electronically controlled variable valve lift on both the intake and exhaust sides. This leads to better performance in both low- and high-throttle driving situations. A high compression ratio of 11.2:1 helps efficiency as well.
All told, the new 5.6-liter V-8 produces 390 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 401 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. That’s up from 317 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque over the outgoing V-8. The engine will come mated with a new, seven-speed automatic transmission.
Nissan hasn’t released the V-8’s towing, payload, or fuel economy numbers, but I’d suspect the gasoline-powered Titan XD to be slightly down on these stats compared to the diesel-powered Titan XD. We’ll bring you more as Nissan releases the info.
Gasoline-power Titan XDs will hit showrooms in early spring of 2016.
Continue reading for the full story.
The Titan made its debut back in 2004 and hasn’t changed much since. Sure, there was a mild refresh back in 2008, but the bones remained unchanged. Nissan only offered two cab and bed configurations, one engine, and the choice of two- or four-wheel drive. That’s all changing for the 2016 model year.
Nissan has decided to expand the Titan into a pair of pickups – the regular Titan carrying the half-ton designation, and the Titan XD, a sort of go-between for customers who need the extra towing and hauling capabilities of a heavy-duty, but who don’t want to pay for 900 pound-feet of torque and a 30,000-pound tow rating. When asked to describe the new Titan XD, Richard Miller, Director of Product Planning for the truck, says to think of the Titan XD as a three-quarter ton truck from 2003. It has 500-plus pound-feet of torque and can tow roughly 12,000 pounds. That’s exactly where mainstream 2500-series trucks were at in the mid-2000s.
Miller and his design team know they’re marketing the Titan XD to a niche customer. Still, their research apparently shows there’s profit to be made in this middle ground. Helping expand the Titan’s marketability is an increased number of build configurations, trim levels, and (coming soon) engine options. No longer will the Titan be a one-size-fits-all truck. Single cabs, base trim levels, and eight-foot beds are part of the mix, as well as the range-topping Platinum Reserve trim with all the proper luxury trimmings. The combinations won’t be as extensive as those from Ford, Chevy, or Ram, but are said to cater to a much wider audience than before.
In order to find out more about the Titan XD, I took a trip to the Arizona desert just outside Scottsdale. These roads are very familiar to the Titan XD. Nissan’s R&D testing center is a two hours’ drive south and engineers spend many hours tuning the Titan XD on the six-percent grades found in the mountains outside of town.
So how’d the Titan XD stack up? Keep reading to find out.
Continue reading for the full driven review
The Titan made its debut back in 2004 and hasn’t changed much since. Sure, there was a mild refresh back in 2008, but the bones remained unchanged. Nissan only offered two cab and bed configurations, one engine, and the choice of two- or four-wheel drive. That’s all changing for the 2016 model year.
Nissan has decided to expand the Titan into a pair of pickups – the regular Titan carrying the half-ton designation, and the Titan XD, a sort of go-between for customers who need the extra towing and hauling capabilities of a heavy-duty, but who don’t want to pay for 900 pound-feet of torque and a 30,000-pound tow rating. When asked to describe the new Titan XD, Richard Miller, Director of Product Planning for the truck, says to think of the Titan XD as a three-quarter ton truck from 2003. It has 500-plus pound-feet of torque and can tow roughly 12,000 pounds. That’s exactly where mainstream 2500-series trucks were at in the mid-2000s.
Miller and his design team know they’re marketing the Titan XD to a niche customer. Still, their research apparently shows there’s profit to be made in this middle ground. Helping expand the Titan’s marketability is an increased number of build configurations, trim levels, and (coming soon) engine options. No longer will the Titan be a one-size-fits-all truck. Single cabs, base trim levels, and eight-foot beds are part of the mix, as well as the range-topping Platinum Reserve trim with all the proper luxury trimmings. The combinations won’t be as extensive as those from Ford, Chevy, or Ram, but are said to cater to a much wider audience than before.
In order to find out more about the Titan XD, I took a trip to the Arizona desert just outside Scottsdale. These roads are very familiar to the Titan XD. Nissan’s R&D testing center is a two hours’ drive south and engineers spend many hours tuning the Titan XD on the six-percent grades found in the mountains outside of town.
So how’d the Titan XD stack up? Keep reading to find out.
Continue reading for the full driven review
The finalists for the 2016 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year have been announced. All in all, six vehicles made the final cut, including three cars, two SUVs, and one pick-up. The first three will vie for the 2016 North American Car of the Year award, while the latter three will go head-to-head-to-head for the 2016 Truck/Utility of the Year award. Making up the finalists for the North American Car of the Year award are the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, 2016 Honda Civic, and the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Likewise, the three finalists for the North American Truck/Utility of the Year are the 2016 Honda Pilot, 2016 Volvo XC90, and the 2016 Nissan Titan XD.
The distinction of being named the North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year is something that automaker’s take pretty seriously. Last year, the Volkswagen Golf and the Ford F-150 took home the awards in their respective categories. Not surprisingly, both Volkswagen and Ford spent a great deal of time touting the awards they received to the public. Expect more of the same from the eventual winners of the two categories, all of whom, it must be said, are part of some pretty competitive segments in the industry.
The Civic and the Malibu, in particular, are direct competitors so being named the car of the year will give the winner a huge amount of bragging rights over the rest of the segment. The same holds true, albeit to a lesser extent, for the Pilot and the XC90. Both are SUVs and while one is considered a premium SUV, the two models are still part of the ever growing SUV market in North America.
The final round of voting is scheduled to take place on January 4, 2016. The two winners will then be announced in a ceremony at the start of the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 11, 2016.
Continue reading for the full story.
The Titan XD has already made waves in the industry, but Nissan wants more. That’s why the automaker has pulled the covers off its plans to snag a land speed record with its all-new pickup. This project and its vehicle, affectionately called the “Triple Nickel” thanks to its 555 pound-feet of torque, are still in the building phase, but will soon compete in the D/DT and FIA A-III-9 classes at Bonneville.
Amazingly enough, the Triple Nickel isn’t some tube-frame chassis with a fiberglass body. No, this is a full-fledged pre-production Titan XD with nothing more than a handful of modifications that allow it to race.
This isn’t Nissan’s first rodeo; the automaker set a land speed record back in the mid-1990s with a 1994 Hardbody pickup powered by a four-cylinder gasoline engine. It set multiple records, including its fastest official run of 142.9 mph on the salt flats.
Cummins, the builder of the Titan XD’s 5.0-liter V-8, has an even more storied history dating back to 1931. That year, Cummins engines powered vehicles that set records at Daytona Beach, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and airstrips in Wilmington, Ohio.
So let’s take a glance at Nissan’s Triple Nickel Titan XD.
Continue reading to learn more about the Nissan Titan XD "Triple Nickel".
Full-size trucks are designed to be workhorses that can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’, but many are also used for personal transportation when not on the clock. That means modern trucks have to be as comfortable as a sedan or crossover without sacrificing capability.
In Nissan’s latest installment of is “Truckumentary” series, engineers show how the 2016 Nissan Titan XD has been designed to be quiet, both inside and out, and offer a smooth ride free from harsh vibrations.
“A lot of the new competitors have really stepped it up in terms of isolating their trucks, so we’ve make it a huge effort with the next Titan to try to improve the upper body isolation feel so that you really feel like you’re isolated from the environment when you close the [door] and that it is a quiet and comfortable driving experience,” says John DeYoung, Nissan’s Senior Manager of the Noise and Vibration Test Group.
Nissan engineers aren’t just driving around with the radio off. They’ve brought the big guns to detect the smallest noise and where it’s coming from. One of the high-tech instruments used is an acoustic camera. The globe-like machine not only isolates where noises are coming from, but also overlays that information in a color map on top of a 360-degree video of the cabin.
All this research is designed to improve the livability of the Titan, making it easier to drive over long distances without driver fatigue.
Continue reading for more information
Cummins has been building diesel engines since 1919, but it would be another 80 years before this company became a household name. That was when Cummins supplied Chrysler with a 160-horsepower 5.9-liter inline-six for the 1989 Dodge Ram 250 and 350 models, and Cummins has steadily built a solid reputation for its engines among truck buyers ever since.
Dodge Ram (and now Ram) buyers wear the big “C” on their fenders with pride, but Nissan buyers will soon be able to brag about their Cummins affiliation as well. A new era of diesel trucks is set to begin when the 2016 Nissan Titan XD goes on sale later this year with the Cummins 5.0-liter V-8 Turbo Diesel under the hood, and I recently had the chance to head to the home of Cummins – Columbus, Indiana – to see where this all-new engine will be built.
Continue reading for the full story.
Nissan has released its latest episode of its “Truckumentary” series on the upcoming 2016 Nissan Titan XD. Titled Truck Love, this video departs from the usual behind-the-scenes design and developmental look to one of customers and their trucks. The difference in format could – and probably should – be taken as a signal of the new Titan approaching on-sale date in the fourth quarter of 2015.
Dave Mazur, Nissan North America’s Vice President of Marketing Intelligence, starts off by admitting the challenges the Japanese brand first encountered when building the original Titan. Namely, getting customers to understand the truck was capable of doing anything a domestic truck could do, if not better. Nissan emphasized, just as it does today, the importance of its presence in the U.S.
“We’re a Japanese brand but very much an American company,” Mazur says in the video. The new Titan XD was designed in California, engineered in Michigan, tested in Arizona, and built in Mississippi with engines that come from Indiana and Tennessee.
Moreover, the original Titan has developed quite the following. Nissan is banking that fan base will grow on an exponential scale thanks to the Titan XD’s Cummins powerplant and ability to tow loads like a three-quarter ton truck while being easy to drive like a half-ton. The 2016 Titan XD should also appeal to customers looking for a more luxurious truck with features normally found in high-end sedans. Nissan’s new levels of luxury should do wonders for its sales rankings.
The aftermarket scene will have products ready to sell when the all-new, 2016 Nissan Titan XD hits showroom floors later this year. That’s thanks to Nissan’s partnership with the Specialty Equipment Market Association, or SEMA, and the individual businesses that make it up.
The aftermarket scene will have products ready to sell when the all-new, 2016 Nissan Titan XD hits showroom floors later this year. That’s thanks to Nissan’s partnership with the Specialty Equipment Market Association, or SEMA, and the individual businesses that make it up.
The video above details Nissan’s recent measurement session with several aftermarket companies all vying to get detailed measurements of many key areas on the truck in preparation for designing bolt-on parts like wheels, tonneau covers, bumpers, fender flairs, and side steps.
“Measuring sessions are really an opportunity for the entire aftermarket community to step in and really get access to these new vehicles,” says Jim Moore, Senor Director of OEM Relations for SEMA. “If you imagine a vehicle as the canvas, the aftermarket thinks of itself as the paint, so there’s a relationship there that one can’t happen without the other.”
Also present were performance types like Gale Banks, the legendary diesel tuner. That ignites high hopes of having a large aftermarket support for the all-new 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbodiesel. Parts might include larger turbos and intercoolers, high-flow fuel injectors, and ECU tunes. Other parts like performance brakes, axle gears, and locking differentials are likely among the mix as well.
It seems the Titan XD will have quite the laundry list of accessories ready for truck buyers – all so folks can make their rig their own.
Nissan has released the latest episode of its Titan “Truckumentary.” This episode is all about that diesel goodness – or as Nissan engineers define it – that power, the push in the seat, that constant pull that’s not found anywhere else beside in a diesel truck.
Nissan has released the latest episode of its Titan “Truckumentary.” This episode is all about that diesel goodness – or as Nissan engineers define it – that power, the push in the seat, that constant pull that’s not found anywhere else beside in a diesel truck.
Of course, the engineers are talking about the new 5.0-liter V-8 turbodiesel built by the legendary diesel builder, Cummins. The engine makes 310 horsepower at 3,200 rpm and 555 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm. That sort of power will allow the upcoming 2016 Titan XD to haul loads normally reserved for one-ton trucks.
“This is not a direct replacement for a V-8 gas engine or a V-6 gas engine,” said Rich Miller, Nissan’s Director of Production Planning for trucks and SUVs. “This engine will be towing more, hauling more, and get’s better fuel economy while towing and hauling.”
The Titan will come in two forms when it debuts for next year: the standard Titan and the heavy-duty Titan XD. It’s that XD that will come equipped with the Cummins turbodiesel. The truck will serve as Nissan’s heaviest hauler, acting much like a 2500-series, or three-quarter ton truck.
Nissan will be the second non-commercial automaker to incorporate a Cummins powerplant. Dodge turned Ram has been using the Cummins inline six-cylinder turbodiesel for decades with tremendous success. “The Cummins engine really brings a lot to us,” said Peter Luttenbacher, a Nissan product planner. “It gives us that instant credibility from the Cummins brand name.
Nissan even got the legendary diesel tuner Gale Banks to comment. “This size engine – the 5.0-liter engine – it really comes down to the power and torque output,” he said. “And it’s prodigious.”
Nissan’s ongoing documentary series humorously called “Titan Truckumentary” has been chronicling the upcoming 2016 Titan’s development from sketches on paper to testing early build models in a lab. Now the automaker’s latest installment of the self-produced series follows quality control engineers as they subject the new truck to sub-freezing temperatures in Fairbanks, Alaska and the surrounding areas.
Nissan’s ongoing documentary series humorously called “Titan Truckumentary” has been chronicling the upcoming 2016 Titan’s development from sketches on paper to testing early build models in a lab. Now the automaker’s latest installment of the self-produced series follows quality control engineers as they subject the new truck to sub-freezing temperatures in Fairbanks, Alaska and the surrounding areas.
Without spoiling anything, the video shows how frigid conditions can become problems for vehicles, like with cold starts and obtaining a comfortable temperature in the cabin. The Nissan truck team braves the low temperatures to record important data, both on their new Titan and on its direct competition.
This cold-weather testing is only part of the overall testing regiment, however. To see what all the Titan as gone through, check out chapters one through four by clicking “continue reading.”
Ahead of the official launch of the 2016 Nissan Titan, the automaker is revealing some of the truck’s backstory with a video series titled “Titan Truckumentary.” After first highlighting Nissan’s history as a truckmaker, the series then gave some background about the truck’s chief product specialist and the design process of the 2016 Titan, and the fourth installment of the series shows some of the more rigorous development that went into creating the new truck.
Nissan has a lot to prove when it comes to competing in the full-size truck market against the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and the Toyota Tundra. The latest video focuses on how the 2016 Nissan Titan was torture-tested to ensure that it would live up to the harsh conditions that will it will encounter in the hands of buyers. Nissan engineers tried to replicate every imaginable driving situation the Titan will encounter, including driving along washboard and cobblestone roads, which is done both in controlled test tracks as well as live simulators.
These tests are very similar to what most new cars are put through, but Nissan went a step further, looking at some of the more challenging driving scenarios pickup trucks must survive, including driving over curbs, driving through deep, standing water and severe chassis and suspension flex.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Nissan Titan XD.
Now that the 2016 Nissan Titan have been officially uncovered, the folks at Nissan are now giving a more detailed behind-the-scenes look with the latest episode of the “Titan Truckumentary.” This third part follows Diane Allen, Nissan’s Senior Design Manager, and her design team’s work on the new truck. From penciling sketches to fitting parts onto a pre-production truck, the team worked to conceptualize a full size truck that appealed specifically to the North American market.
The team started brainstorming by bringing in inspirational things like tools, hardware, and even images of the Titan gods. After countless hours of work, the team became smitten with a sketch from designer Randy Rodriguez. His design pulled in cues from the helmets worn by the mythical Titans while giving a more muscular stance with its bulging fenders and gaping grille.
Allen says the truck embodies the Nissan flair while getting a more technology-rich appearance that is futuristic in design yet historical in its heritage. She should know – she’s been working at Nissan for 30 years and has held positions working on the first-generation Titan, the Armada, Rogue, 350Z, and the 350Z.
So before I spoil the video’s plot line, give it a watch. If you haven’t seen the first two “Truckumentary” episodes, click past the jump to catch up.
Click past the jump for the other "Truckumentary" videos