Heavy Duty Titan On The Way!

[eightballsidepocket]

Originally Posted by tonylittell

no they havent.

Im a dealer and just spoke to the director of marketing for my region the other day about this.....

it will only be available as a cab and chassis dual wheel hd truck for a while before it is released with a bed on it

I must agree that coming out with a 3/4-1 ton cab chassis initially without a normal box/bed, doesn't make sense, and I can't perceive Nissan going that route.

Nissan will indeed need to push for a commercial presence, but they must get those heavy duty pickups in the hands of Mr. and Mrs. Trailer/5th wheel/hosre trailer/farmer persons, before jumping into the cab chassis market.

Dodge initially is introducing it's over 1 ton 4500/5500 models as cab chassis offerings since late last 07, and if you want a pickup box you will have to have an aftermarket installer do it. Ford is offering a box on their F-450, but they have had an established presence in this heavier than 1 ton market for awhile.

Even though you mentioned some district person from Nissan who is in the "know" told you this, I've found that a lot of these "in the know" folks haven't had a very good batting average on predicting future product offerings.

Often these "in the know" folks aren't as savvy as those of us that scan Autoblog, and all the various online automotive/truck publications and latest Google/Yahoo news on the industry.

Salesmen are notorious for being the biggest "ignoramuses" when it comes to their own products. They literally will blow smoke up your, you know where, with all kinds of information that is so bogus and mis-interpretted by themselves.

I do know that folks "in the know" don't whisper out new product offerings, or major manufacturing news to even their closest friends, cause their jobs will get terminated if the leak anything ahead of official company announcements.

Now it's another thing if your buddy spots a Nissan Titan 3/4-1 ton mule sneeking around and gets a spy shot of it being wrung-out before production starts.

Thats where sites like Autoblog.com and Carspys.com will have some interesting, and possibly more believeable news backed up with some amateur photos taken of a camouflaged mule or prototype.

Not saying your "insider" friend is telling an untruth, but the cab chassis approach to offering the public a 3/4-1 ton Titan doesn't make business sense, as you must get the recreational, private truck buyer public to accept the heavy P.U.'s before you will get inroads into the commercial area.

[tonylittell]

Originally Posted by Juday

I have a hard time believing a statement like this, but if it's true, did he happen to mention the time which this would be out?

If you dont believe what I am saying then why ask a date it may happen?

[tonylittell]

Originally Posted by eightballsidepocket

I must agree that coming out with a 3/4-1 ton cab chassis initially without a normal box/bed, doesn't make sense, and I can't perceive Nissan going that route.

Nissan will indeed need to push for a commercial presence, but they must get those heavy duty pickups in the hands of Mr. and Mrs. Trailer/5th wheel/hosre trailer/farmer persons, before jumping into the cab chassis market.

Dodge initially is introducing it's over 1 ton 4500/5500 models as cab chassis offerings since late last 07, and if you want a pickup box you will have to have an aftermarket installer do it. Ford is offering a box on their F-450, but they have had an established presence in this heavier than 1 ton market for awhile.

Even though you mentioned some district person from Nissan who is in the "know" told you this, I've found that a lot of these "in the know" folks haven't had a very good batting average on predicting future product offerings.

Often these "in the know" folks aren't as savvy as those of us that scan Autoblog, and all the various online automotive/truck publications and latest Google/Yahoo news on the industry.

Salesmen are notorious for being the biggest "ignoramuses" when it comes to their own products. They literally will blow smoke up your, you know where, with all kinds of information that is so bogus and mis-interpretted by themselves.

I do know that folks "in the know" don't whisper out new product offerings, or major manufacturing news to even their closest friends, cause their jobs will get terminated if the leak anything ahead of official company announcements.

Now it's another thing if your buddy spots a Nissan Titan 3/4-1 ton mule sneeking around and gets a spy shot of it being wrung-out before production starts.

Thats where sites like Autoblog.com and Carspys.com will have some interesting, and possibly more believeable news backed up with some amateur photos taken of a camouflaged mule or prototype.

Not saying your "insider" friend is telling an untruth, but the cab chassis approach to offering the public a 3/4-1 ton Titan doesn't make business sense, as you must get the recreational, private truck buyer public to accept the heavy P.U.'s before you will get inroads into the commercial area.

You are rite. the auto blogs would know more about things than THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING FOR NISSAN ...

Your experiance in Nissans marketing plans is what?

ok


next?

if you dont believe it then dont... i dont care one way or another. just posting what NISSAN NORTHAMERICA is telling the ones that sell their product.....

[Juday]

Originally Posted by tonylittell

If you dont believe what I am saying then why ask a date it may happen?

I said I have a "hard time" believing your statement. Also followed by "if it's true." Sorry, but we've heard rumors like this before over and over that always turn out to be just that..rumors. No hard feelings.

[tonylittell]

Originally Posted by Juday

I said I have a "hard time" believing your statement. Also followed by "if it's true." Sorry, but we've heard rumors like this before over and over that always turn out to be just that..rumors. No hard feelings.

Anything stated is just a rumor until it happens. Doesnt matter who it comes from. Im just stating what Nissan is telling me

[eightballsidepocket]

No doubt the director of marketing would have the greater, "heads up" Tonylittell.

Trade and business news is very critical to the industry, and someone that high up could jeapardize their position/job by leaking news to private parties before there is an official company statement.

So I take it that you have access to the fate of the Nissan Titan's commercial application's future via the Marketing Director, and he's comfortable with you sharing it publically on this forum before Nissan has made an official public statement?

My comments about blogs on cars and trucks didn't mean that these blogs are sacred institutions of truth, but collectively, when you check many of them out, there may be some semblance of truth and some news leakage from Nissan or other manufacturers through them.

There are some news outlets that do get special preference from Nissan and other manufacturers for springing new, news on the public, but I just had my doubts that the Nissan Marketing director would leak such major news through a member of the Nissan Titan forum.

Again, trade secrets, and upcoming company news that's leaked before-hand can cause some heads to tumble, and I do mean folks who work for the company and leaked the news. That's why I had my doubts about the validity. Nothing personal towards you, Tony Littell.

This is an article out of Autoblog.com, which picked this up from Pickuptruck.com. It is a March 15th 2007 article concerning commercial application or models of Nissan Titan being planned/developed and also the planned 2008 Titan model.

Now I know others here could do some more extensive digging, but this is just what I've pulled up that refers to any discussion/news about Nissan Titan and commercial applications.

Eightballsidepocket



Nissan Suspends Development of HD Pickup
By: Mike LevinePosted: 03-15-07 13:01 PT
© 2007 PickupTruck.com

As originally reported in Automotive News, increasing economic pressures are forcing Nissan to reconsider its plans to offer a heavy duty version of the Titan pickup.

Larry Dominique, Nissan’s vice president of product planning and strategy, describes how the decision was made based on a number of factors.

Evaluating the Business Case
“A lot of heavy duty [sales volume] is predicated on the relationship [manufacturers] establish with light duty truck owners,” says Dominique. “Our research shows that one in three buyers wouldn’t consider buying a foreign truck, and we’re looking at the market seeing gas prices going up and full size truck volumes way down. Today, with Titan, we’re only competing in a narrow segment [extended and crew cab] of light duty trucks – a little less than a million units sold in [these configurations] last year, of which we’re selling about 75,000 to 90,000 Titans a year. To compete with a heavy duty we’d need multiple variations - at least three wheelbases. But we have to have a business case that works to make this decision, based on higher light duty sales volumes because people will move from a light duty to a heavy duty truck. Looking at where we are today, we’ve decided to invest in other segments outside of pickups for a greater return than we believe we could get building a heavy duty truck.”

Also factored into Nissan’s HD business case is their hesitancy to compete with the domestics when it comes to price - mindful of rebates the domestic incumbents are likely to use to goose HD volumes should they start to fall.

“Heavy duty pickups are the most profitable trucks that Detroit makes, and the domestic [manufacturers] are extremely dependent on this segment. We’d like to stay above the incentive fray. The Titan is profitable today, as are all our cars and trucks. That’s not necessarily the case with the domestics with all of their cars and trucks. It’s another reason we believe we can invest in this money [meant for HD Titan program] in other areas for a greater return than if we have to lose money over volume.”

Jim Hossack, vice president and pickup truck consultant at AutoPacific, comments that Nissan’s decision to shelve the heavy duty Titan is probably correct, given the rigorous business case analysis they performed. “If you don’t have your heart in it [building a heavy duty pickup], it just won’t work,” Hossack says.

That’s not to say that Nissan is abandoning commercial truck buyers who would likely purchase a one-ton Titan. Dominique says, “While our heavy duty program is suspended for now, if the business case changes, we can quickly resurrect it. And our new 2008 Titan long box option should get us more light duty commercial buyers who need an 8-foot box for work.”

Potential for a V6 Diesel in Light Duty Titan
Nissan is also studying a V6 diesel engine option for the light duty Titan – another feature that could help grow its full size pickup volumes and lure commercial buyers.

“You have to have a diesel engine if you’re going to play in the sandbox with the other manufacturers, and we’d like to do a diesel if the economics make sense. Diesels cost more than gasoline [engines] but heavy duty and commercial buyers know what a diesel brings – it’s the increased torque for towing, not just better mileage,” says Dominique. “And our research also shows that, relative to gasoline engines, diesel pickups keep about 81% of their [purchase] value after three years,” he adds.

But manufacturers are facing difficult pricing challenges to meet the federal government’s tough new Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions regulations to reduce NOX and particulates output from diesel engines. Ford Motor Company, for example, had to raise prices on the new 2008 Super Duty Power Stroke diesel pickups by $1,500 over last year’s motor because of the new filtration and exhaust management systems added. And it’s a virtual certainty that prices will be hiked again to meet final emissions requirements for 2010.

So far this isn’t stopping Nissan. Dominique cautiously observes, “In the heavy duty market, in 2007, it seems that the price increases [for a diesel] have been absorbed. But the light duty market is a different case. It’s more tenuous and there’s no precedent, and even though a V6 diesel is smaller [than a V8] the costs [to meet emissions] are going to be very similar. In my opinion the ability to price a diesel for a light duty truck is unknown, but offering one is the right thing to do.”

Only Dodge has publicly committed to offering a diesel in its light duty Ram pickup by the 2009 model year, though rumors are circulating that Ford will also follow suit with its own European-sourced diesel for the next generation F-150.

Nissan also has other plans to make the light duty Titan more appealing to buyers. “We’re studying a V6 gas option, too," says Dominique, “and we’d like to offer a regular cab. The question is how much change we make to the current truck when we’re already working on the next generation.”

Nissan Frontier News
Dominique also had some news to share about the Nissan Frontier midsize pickup and its future. While the next generation Nissan Pathfinder is likely to move from a body-on-frame chassis to unibody construction, don’t look for the Frontier to do something similar, ala Honda Ridgeline or recent musings from Dodge about the future Dakota.

“Monobody doesn’t work well for trucks. To handle a high GVW and towing capacity, you can’t go monobdy. Today you can tow nearly 7,000 pounds with the Frontier. This is what our customer needs are, and it's all about continuing to meet those needs. We couldn’t do that without keeping a separate bed,” says Dominique.

[daptech]

......... "of which we’re selling about 75,000 to 90,000 Titans a year."
-
Only in his dreams. Nissan sold 65,748 Titans in 2007 & 2008
will be lower.

[SC_TITAN08]

I hope Nissan drops an HD crew cab diesel, with all the LE options by 2010 or 11. That would be a bad-a** truck!

[billaj]

Omg when the titan diesel comes out im so going to get some 40's on it with a custom 17" lift. HURRY THE F UP NISSAN!!

[ballsilly]

Thats Cool

[madahajimoto]

Man, doesnt Nissan already make diesel trucks up the yang in the land of tomorrow?? If so why dont they jus put a Nissan Diesel into her??

[Service Advisor]

Watch In 2010 Titan diesel amd maxima diesel Coming Out. Using Cummings Engine

[ptgarcia]

Originally Posted by Service Advisor

.....Cummings.....

C-U-M-M-I-N-S.....no G

[eightballsidepocket]

Originally Posted by Service Advisor

Watch In 2010 Titan diesel amd maxima diesel Coming Out. Using Cummings Engine

Thank goodness they dumped the idea of a Navstar/International diesel, and will be going with Cummins.......a maker of reliable, respected, diesels.

The 5.9 and 6.7 Cummins used in the Dodge are the only true Medium duty rated diesels found in light duty p.u. trucks. The Duramax and Powerstroke do not have that rating.

[niceun]

Yeah.....A Ram-based Titan 3/4 ton with Cummins Diesel power...I'll rush right out and buy one when they come out.