THE ARTICLE:
Nissan plant might kick it up a notch with heavy-duty Titan
By Josee Valcourt
jvalcourt@clarionledger.com
Made in canton
A heavy-duty Titan with a diesel engine could be in the works for Nissan Motor Co.'s Canton plant.
Between 450,000 and 500,000 heavy-duty pickups are built in the U.S. yearly.
"It's a significant part of the truck segment and profitable, and it's continuing to grow," said Jed Connelly, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Nissan North America Inc.
If a heavy-duty Titan were launched, it would compete against General Motor's Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2,500 and 3,500, Ford's F-250 and F-350 and the heavy-duty Dodge Ram.
The role of the company's Canton plant, which has a capacity to build 400,000 vehicles a year, or a timeframe on when the company would launch such a product has not been decided.
Having a stake in the heavy-duty segment validates an automaker's presence in the truck segment as a whole, Connelly said.
"If you're in that segment, you're a real truck (manufacturer), and we think we're a real truck (manufacturer) with the Titan," he said.
Heavy-duty trucks account for 4 percent of the total U.S. light vehicle production, said Bruce Bannister, senior consultant for Global Insight, an economic and financial forecasting firm with headquarters in Boston. Some of those products are exported to Europe.
The market isn't expected to change for the next five years, Bannister said.
It is evident Nissan is doing much to promote itself as a company that builds trucks.
"They're clearly trying to promote themselves as a local (truck) manufacturer, but when you get into the commercial market, they will have a tougher sell," Bannister said.
Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, an advocacy group for diesel use, said this year will be the first time in many years four new diesel models are introduced to the U.S. market.
The diesel vehicles are the Mercedes E-class sedan, Volkswagen Passat and Touareg and Chrysler Jeep Liberty sport utility vehicle.
The Environmental Protection Agency has tightened emission regulations for 2004 diesel and gasoline models, demanding sharp pollutant reductions. There are plans to further tighten standards in 2007.
Environmentalists say diesel emits more nitrogen oxides and soot.
"I don't think we would have four new models if (automakers) didn't have some level of confidence," Schaeffer said.
As a whole, the diesel industry is undergoing a transformation resulting in advance technology and cleaner engines that are fuel-efficient.
Compared to gasoline engines, diesel motors can get anywhere from 30 percent to 40 percent more miles per gallon, he said.
The price of crude oil, which hit a record $50 Monday, is helping push diesel engines — which add about $5,000 to the price of the vehicle.
The suggested manufacturer's retail price for Nissan's 2004 Titan is between $23,050 and $34,950. Ford's F-250 sells for between $22,390 and $36,600, according to Edmunds.com, a car buyer's research Web site.