Nissan Titan making moves to be bigger, bolder, badder

[ekool]

When it comes to pulling one's weight in the full-sized truck category, Nissan, like Toyota, admits that it made some mistakes with its Titan the first time around, but has learned a lot. Both automakers seem not to have realized that the truck buyer is an entirely different animal than the car buyer. Having failed to reach its sales targets since the truck was launched, Nissan is now planning to give the Titan a complete overhaul. Injecting more "full" into its full-sized contender, the 2008 Titans will be bigger, more powerful, more rigid, have heavier axles and better payload capacity, and bigger brakes.

Nissan is also expanding the model mix, having learned how varied American truck buyers like their option choices to be. One addition will be a decontented V6 model for buyers who just want a no frills work truck. On the other end, the company is considering purchasing diesel V8s from International Truck and Engine Corp (that's right, Navistar). And along with the changes, Nissan is expending the effort to raise the truck's profile; most folks still think it's a mid-sized truck. Nissan is only looking for the Titan to grab 5% of the market, and it isn't too far off now. With the changes, they're in with a shout.

[Source: Auto News - sub. req'd & Autoblog.com]

[Wiscdave]

Great news!! What are the numbers?

He who puts a diesel in a 1/2 ton truck wins in my book.

[goathead]

i would love to see a side-by-side comparison between the 04-07 to the 08 to show what exactly has been done.

they look great and that longer bed gives it better proportions on the cc. having said that, im still keeping mine forever

[DeadRiver]

I'm with you goat, when I bought the truck I never considered trading or selling it... I felt it would be the truck my son would drive when he's 16.... he's currently 3 months

I wish they'd go to a different company to get the diesel motors... I worked on internationals (heavy duty rigs) and never really liked the motors personally.. I'd like to see a cummins go in, however I don't know how good the smaller motors are, i've only worked on the 350's they put in 18 wheelers. I just know my cummins motors were pretty much bullet proof and all running 1,000,000/year.

I'm pretty sure Nissan has it's own diesel line ups from other countries as well as a diesel they use in their heavy duty trucks, so diesel and nissan shouldn't be so unfamiliar.

[Bhudda454]

Nissan has it own line of diesels. UD is the brand for work trucks. Not bad, but low on power. The cummins offering has been long know as the best thing in the dodge trucks. the trucks fall apart around them every year. Could get worse as cummins is going with a V8 for the first time in the next year. It will be a bit lighter than the original IL6 they have had though. From 1150 or so down to 750. Quite a drop in mass. and Power is expected to go up a bit. Navistar ain't all that bad. Once them and ford get the twin turbo crap worked out and quit shooting flames out the tailpipe.

[RB's Titan]

Oh boy here we go again...Nissan marketing stunt??? I still want to see a 2 door drag truck that we can buy parts with out losing an arm and leg while doing so. Nissan build it and buyers will come.

[BULLTITAN]

Originally Posted by goathead

i would love to see a side-by-side comparison between the 04-07 to the 08 to show what exactly has been done.

they look great and that longer bed gives it better proportions on the cc. having said that, im still keeping mine forever

I hear you, my dealership sent me an invite to stop in and take a look at the new '08 titan and maybe cut me deal on a trade in. I'll keep my first year model for another 8-10 years or until it breaks.

[Kenny Blankenship]

Originally Posted by Wiscdave

Great news!! What are the numbers?

He who puts a diesel in a 1/2 ton truck wins in my book.

X 2................

[TitanBlue]

Very surpriseing. I wasn't expecting major changes on the 08's, other than the Bed length and Pro 4X package. Now, who is first to switch axle assemblies out???

[P's Titan]

Originally Posted by ekool

Nissan is also expanding the model mix, having learned how varied American truck buyers like their option choices to be. One addition will be a decontented V6 model for buyers who just want a no frills work truck.

Did I read that right with a V6 option ?

I dont recall seeing anything about that before.

[m1aman]

08 1500 ram has a diesel

[Not_Important]

Originally Posted by Bhudda454

Nissan has it own line of diesels. UD is the brand for work trucks.

UD is now owned by Volvo with a minority (very minority) stake by Nissan. Nissan still maintains the NMLT (Nissan Motor Light Truck) joint venture with UD which will produce the Atlas box trucks in EU, Japan, and China. Not only are all the UD engines produced in Japan, they are not even close to being ready for primetime in a consumer market.

Navistar ain't all that bad. Once them and ford get the twin turbo crap worked out and quit shooting flames out the tailpipe.

The regeneration issues have nothing to do with the engine and everything to do with how Ford managed the aftertreatment system design. ITEC has zero culpability with this problem.

Nissan has already released details of the V6 diesel light commercial vehicle (LCV) to the press. It is hard to say when it will be available.

[goathead]

Originally Posted by DeadRiver

I'm with you goat, when I bought the truck I never considered trading or selling it... I felt it would be the truck my son would drive when he's 16.... he's currently 3 months

ive said all along that i want to keep my truck long enough (3 years already), that my 2 year old daughter will complain about having to drive dads 17 year old truck around. that would be awesome.

[bestatchess]

Originally Posted by goathead

i would love to see a side-by-side comparison between the 04-07 to the 08 to show what exactly has been done.

Ditto. I notice that www.nissanhelp.com lists fewer specs for the 2008 than for prior years.

[EricCartmann]

this is all marketing as new models are always hyped.

i am most of you, i plan to keep my 2006 till i run her through the ground, which should be 10 years minimum.