DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: Nissan Titan XD Ute
Nissan's full-sized US-market ute finally gets a V8 turbo-diesel engineThe new-look Nissan Titan XD ute broke cover at the Detroit motor show overnight, packing a 5.0-litre Cummins turbo-diesel V8 for the first time.
As well as revealing the vehicle's new exterior design, the addition of the diesel engine provides the vehicle with a towing capacity of around 5400kg.
By equipping its Titan with the V8 diesel engine, which pumps out 230kW and 750Nm of torque, the pick-up now offers more versatility and Nissan believes this will translate into greater sales.
The Titan ute is the Japanese brand's answer to Ford's best-selling F-Series pick-up trucks, or utes as they're called in Australia.
Suited to motorists who plan to tow large loads, the Titan XD features several features designed to make towing easier, such as an integrated gooseneck hitch that's been engineered into the frame, along with an integrated trailer brake controller. There's also a towing mode with downhill speed control and trailer sway control aids.
The V8 diesel drives through a six-speed Aisin automatic gearbox and the new Titan will be offered in dual, king and single cab configurations, with three different bed sizes. Maximum payload in the tray is around 900kg.
Both 4WD and 2WD versions are offered.
Inside the Titan, Nissan has upped the ante with the new model with a more upmarket cabin design, featuring high-quality finishes and equipment. It gets a new 12-speaker stereo and a seven-inch infotainment screen with satellite navigation.
That the Titan was presented by Nissan's global chief, Carlos Ghosn, at the 2015 Detroit motor show, was telling, highlighting the importance of the vehicle, which will play in one of the highest-selling segments in the USA.
"With the 2016 Nissan Titan XD, we weren't just going for 'best-in-class’. Instead, we are offering the 'best new class'," declared Ghosn.
"Our growing U.S. presence is bolstering our performance and helped to make 2014 a year of significant growth for Nissan in the U.S.
"Nissan is targeting 10 per cent market share in the U.S. And the all-new Titan is a key part of our growth strategy," said the Nissan supremo.
Although the Titan is unlikely to ever be sold in Australia, the use of the 5.0-litre V8 Cummins diesel engine will provide a glimmer of hope to the Patrol fans who are still waiting for a diesel version of the current-generation luxury SUV.
As Nissan's former global product planning boss Andy Palmer explained in early 2014: "When you start to do that [offer diesel engines with the Titan] you start to get those economies of scale. And you can start to imagine that when you get those economies of scale it makes it easier to put a diesel engine in the Patrol and a few other vehicles."
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