The 2016 Nissan TITAN XD, which made its world debut at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, is set to shake up the highly competitive full-size pickup segment when it goes on sale in the United States and Canada beginning in late 2015 – with a bold all-new design that stakes out a unique position in the segment between traditional heavy-duty and light-duty entries.

Called the "XD," it offers the effortless towing and hauling of the larger, more expensive heavy-duty trucks – including an available maximum towing capacity of more than 12,000 pounds* and maximum payload capacity of 2,000 pounds* (when properly equipped) – yet has the fuel-efficiency* and affordability of a half-ton pickup.

The new TITAN XD Crew Cab, which was shown in Detroit with its powerful Cummins® 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel, is the first of three cab configurations, two frame sizes, three powertrain offerings and five grade levels to be available in the full TITAN lineup.

"The full-size truck market is the toughest market to crack in the entire industry, with so many outstanding products available," said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations U.S., Nissan North America, Inc. "This new Nissan TITAN XD is designed to offer buyers something the others don't – combining outstanding towing and hauling capabilities and exceptional towing and hauling fuel economy. It also offers excellent ride comfort and handling, and the features and amenities that real working truck owners want."

The all-new TITAN XD, like the first-generation Titan, was developed with core Nissan planning, design, engineering and manufacturing teams contributing from Tennessee, California, Michigan, Arizona and Mississippi. The TITAN XD's engine will be sourced from Cummins Inc. in Indiana. And, the lead designer and nearly four-dozen engineers also worked on the original 2004 TITAN development.

Built from the Work Job Up with Commercial Strength

While the original Nissan TITAN is known for its consumer-focused innovations such as the Wide-Open rear doors, bedside storage compartment, factory spray-on bedliner and Utili-track™ Bed Channel System, the next-generation starts with a focus on commercial strength components – from the radiator to the rear axle and everything in between.

"TITAN XD is a truck that uniquely utilizes both technology and strength to add confidence to the completion of everyday work tasks," said Diaz. "Half of all full-size truck owners tow more than 10 times a year, with a quarter of owners using them to haul tools, so we engineered TITAN XD's toughness from the ground up."

Nissan TITAN XD models utilize a unique frame and chassis to handle its Cummins diesel and its expanded towing and payload potential. Starting with a durable, proven chassis design from Nissan Commercial Vehicles, the new fully boxed, full-length ladder frame is extensively reinforced and strengthened for use with the TITAN XD with added stiffness, vertical and lateral bending, and torsional rigidity. It also features an extended 151.6-inch wheelbase – about 20 inches longer than non-XD TITAN models.

To maximize stability, handling and ride comfort, TITAN XD uses a new heavy-duty, highly stable suspension design. The double-wishbone with stabilizer bar front suspension is reinforced and tuned for hard use and the rigid rear axle suspension utilizes hefty leaf springs and leaf bushings, along with twin-tube shock absorbers. The axle is a large purpose-built American Axle Manufacturing design. The rear differential measures 13.0 inches with 3.5-inch axle tubes, while the front differential (4x4 models) measures 9.25 inches. Also available is an Electronic Locking Rear Differential.

Hydraulic cab-mounts help isolate the occupants from the advanced TITAN XD chassis. The new TITAN XD rides on 17-inch, 18-inch or 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with LT245/75R17, LT275/65R18 or LT265/60R20 tires for strong all-weather/all surface traction.

Braking is provided by a 4-wheel disc system with 14.2 x 1.5-inch front/14.4 x 1.2-inch rear ventilated discs front and rear with hydraulic power assist. The high brake fluid pressure generated by an electric pump assists brake pedal force for a confident feel. The system is designed to provide improved noise and judder control (versus the previous generation Titan).

Responsive steering is provided by a recirculating ball-type high-capacity steering system with parallel rod steering linkage to optimize steering effort characteristics, even under heavy axle weight and towing conditions.

Even the radiator's heat radiation cooling capacity has been increased more than 25 percent (versus the previous TITAN) to help enhance performance and meet SAE J2807 compliance. TITAN XD engine capacity meets 12,000-pound tow requirements* through use of the large radiator, air transmission cooler and large 23.6-inch engine cooling fan diameter.

Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel – Power, Durability and MPG

"A new class of truck also demands a new class of engine. Like the TITAN XD itself, the new Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel fills the space between more expensive big bore diesels and less capable smaller displacement diesels," said Diaz. "And more than just power and torque, this engine is refined, starts fast and is responsive and quiet. It's also lightweight and offers clean emissions."

The TITAN XD Cummins diesel is the first commercial application of the new Cummins M2 two-stage turbo system, which helps reduce traditional turbo-lag through precision balancing between high-pressure and low-pressure turbos. The patented Rotary Turbine Control provides solid performance across the powerband and manages exhaust gas temperatures.

The new engine also features a Bosch® HPCR fuel system to deliver precise fuel control and multiple injections per combustion stroke, which helps increase efficiency and reduce traditional "diesel clatter." And, the advanced, maintenance-free Bosch® ceramic glow plugs provide quick engine starts, even in extreme low temperatures.

Another key advantage of the new Cummins diesel design is that it provides maximum durability and power in a lightweight package. Weight was reduced by building the cylinder block out of compacted graphite iron (CGI), which is stronger and lighter than traditional iron.

Other lightweight engine components were added, including high-strength aluminum-alloy heads and composite valve covers. The CGI block, along with the dual overhead camshafts, also contributes to the engine's excellent noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics. The new Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel exhaust system has a particulate filter and selective catalytic reduction that enable the engine to run cleaner. That technology also serves a second purpose – reducing typical diesel noise.

As a result of all these advanced systems, the new Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel is more capable than small displacement diesel engine offerings and less expensive than big bore heavy-duty diesels.

It is also designed to be fun to drive, with about 45 percent more torque at cruising speed than similar-sized gasoline V8 engines. And, its low revving powerband requires less downshifting and provides more confidence while towing, as well as saving fuel whether towing or carrying heavy loads.

"Since the majority of full-size pickup owners drive more than 10,000 miles a year, fuel economy is also critical. TITAN XD's Cummins diesel is expected to provide a projected 20 percent better fuel economy* than a gasoline-powered V8 while towing full loads," said Diaz. Actual mileage figures are not yet available.

Helping handle the power and torque of the engine is a heavy-duty 6-speed Aisin automatic transmission developed and tuned exclusively for the TITAN XD.

TITAN will also be offered with V8 and V6 gasoline engines. Details on those engines will be announced at a later date.

Durable off-road performance has also been emphasized, with features such as Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist and Brake Limited-Slip Differential (BLSD). A new off-road gauge uses accelerometer data to calculate the vehicle's pitch and roll angles.

Towing and Hauling – Informed and In Control

TITAN XD has a maximum payload of more than 2,000 pounds (when properly equipped) and a maximum towing rating of more than 12,000 pounds (when properly equipped). It is also snow plow-capable.

Among the list of new available towing aids are an Integrated Trailer Brake Controller, Trailer Sway Control (TSC), Tow/Haul Mode with Downhill Speed Control and a Trailer Light Check system that allows one-person hook-up operation – checking turn signals, brake lights and running/clearance lights from inside the TITAN cab.

Also assisting trailer hook-ups is the TITAN XD's available RearView Monitor with Trailer Guides, while the available Around View® Monitor (AVM) provides a unique "bird's eye" view of the surrounding area from front, rear and side cameras to help with parking and pulling in and out of tight spaces. The system also includes Moving Object Detection (MOD), which helps the driver to detect moving objects such as vehicles, shopping carts or other large objects when backing out via an on-screen notification and warning chime.

Helping TITAN XD owners take advantage of its ample towing power are a range of available hitches – including an integrated gooseneck hitch engineered into the frame and easily accessible in the bed. Gooseneck hitches put the load in front of the rear axle, enhancing the ability to control the vehicle.

"In early trials held in sweltering Arizona – the testing ground for the new SAE J2807 towing standard– we put more than five tons in a gooseneck trailer and the TITAN XD performed with total confidence," explained Diaz. The all-new 2016 Nissan TITAN XD meets the new J2807 certification's standards.

The new TITAN XD also includes a range of available advanced driving aids in addition to RearView Monitor and Around View® Monitor with Moving Object Detection, including Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Front and Rear Sonar System and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Smart Design, Smart Utility

The all-new Nissan TITAN XD exterior and interior designs were created at Nissan Design America. Where the original Titan broke new ground in terms of smart cabin and bed utility, the goal this time around was to keep things simple but smarter – making owners' lives easier.

Inspired by a theme of "powerful precision tool," the TITAN XD exterior provides a bold, commanding presence with a fresh, modern technical feel. "The designers sought to give TITAN a feeling of athletic strength – a look that honors the power of the Cummins diesel engine," explained Diaz.

The profile of the TITAN XD, with its extended front overhang, was actually influenced by the engine, to incorporate the high performance grille, charged air cooler and two-battery installation. Aerodynamics also played a role in the exterior design, which is improved from the previous Titan and incorporates a front spoiler, roof and tailgate spoilers, front tow hook hole cover, underbody covers, rear tire wind deflectors and a seal between the cab and bed.

Available exterior features include LED headlights and taillights, signature Daytime Running Lights, puddle lamps, and step rails for cabin and bed entry/exit. Door closing effort has also been reduced (compared to the previous generation Titan).

"We see the TITAN XD as a truck with bold presence – tough enough to roll on to a job site with confidence, but refined enough for everything else," said Diaz. "And the bed, like on the original Titan, check all the boxes with user-friendly features and attention-to-detail."

TITAN's industry-first Utili-track™ Bed Channel System continues, once again featuring four heavy-duty aluminum alloy cleats that move and lock anywhere along the walls, bed floor and header tracks that give the user endless tie-down possibilities.

While the previous Titan offered a bedside storage compartment in the lower outside fender panels, the new TITAN XD features an available dual lockable in-bed storage boxes that sit sight-unseen at street level and can hold a wide range of essential work and recreational equipment. Unlike other pickup bed storage boxes, the TITAN XD units are accessible from inside the bed without having to remove a camper top or tonneau cover. The boxes are watertight (and drainable) and can be used as a cooler for picnics or tailgating. They are also removable for times when extra bed capacity is required.

Other TITAN XD bed features include the popular spray-on bedliner, flush-mounted LED bedrail lighting, cargo and tailgate lamps, 120-volt in-bed access and a damped tailgate that is light to lift and smoothly damped when lowering.

The all-new Nissan TITAN XD Crew Cab is the first in a lineup of TITAN trucks that will be offered in Crew Cab, King Cab and Single Cab configurations, along with three available bed lengths.

A Big Cabin with a Bold and Commanding Presence

Trucks today are multi-functional, used as work and everyday vehicles – so the interior has to be multi-functional as well. The designers focused on enhanced utility and on making the interior easy to use through improved layout of switched, driver control and storage spaces.

Front storage has been increased 33 percent and rear storage 28 percent, for example, over the previous generation Titan. New 2nd row underseat storage includes a locking lid for added security and the integrated fold-out flat floor. The center console can hold a computer tablet with case or a 15-inch laptop.

All switches are now grouped by function type and location is based on frequency of use. Other convenient interior design features include seven assist grips, console-side map pockets, 12-volt and 120-volt power outlets (in addition to the bed), remote start with climate control function, and Rockford Fosgate premium 12-speaker audio system. The special attention to detail even includes moving the glove compartment handle to the left hand side for easier access by the driver.

The TITAN XD also features a tilt and telescoping steering column with a standard column-mounted transmission shifter lever – a move that helps increase the visibility and usability of the center stack area. This also opened up the center console for additional storage and can fit a laptop in the center console without giving up rear cupholders and 2nd row climate control vents.

The premium grade instrument panel includes a combination of analog and digital gauges, along with a 5.0-inch color display, unique diesel monitoring and maintenance displays, and 7.0-inch NissanConnectSM with Navigation, Mobile Apps and Services color monitor.

As in other Nissan vehicles, the new TITAN XD offers seating that is out of this world – or at least inspired by NASA. The standard front and rear Zero Gravity seats help maximize posture positioning for enhanced comfort during long-distance driving. Heating and cooling front seats are also available, along with a choice of water-repellant fabric or durable leather-appointments. Heated front and rear seats are available in both cloth and leather trim levels.

"While worksite-tough, the interior styling also projects a premium quality and style inspired by outdoor gear such as quilted hunting jackets," said Diaz. "In the new TITAN XD, power and comfort easily co-exist."

Special attention was also paid to reducing the intrusion of noise and vibration into the cabin. TITAN XD utilizes laminated front and rear side glass, the first full-size pickup to do so. Engine noise isolation and body sealing was also improved versus the previous generation TITAN design.

Durability, Quality and Reliability

The TITAN design and engineering teams also set one other bar extremely high, what they designated as "120 percent DQR." That meant infusing the vehicle with exceptional fit and finish, top quality components inside and out, and unrelenting attention to detail – in areas that can be seen and areas that are not.

The 2016 TITAN has undergone some of the most rigorous and extensive testing of any vehicle in company history, building on the foundation established for Nissan Commercial Vehicles extended durability evaluations.

"TITAN is about one thing – getting the job done," concluded Diaz. "While dimensionally the TITAN XD will fit in most garages just like a light duty truck, it has the heart and soul of a heavy duty machine. Owners will never have to worry about having towing or hauling power in reserve – without having to pay the price in terms of drivability, fuel efficiency or affordability."

The 2016 Nissan TITAN XD will be assembled in Canton, Mississippi, with engines assembled in Indiana and Tennessee (5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel and gasoline V8 and V6 respectively). Pricing and full specifications will be announced at a later date.

Nissan put an exclamation point on the start of sales of its all-new 2016 TITAN XD by unveiling a super-sized, off-road modified design study it calls the TITAN Warrior Concept. Nissan Design America (NDA) took the TITAN XD's production design to new extremes with unapologetic, aggressive, athletic styling features that declare the concept's off-road adventure intent and Nissan's optimism for the truck market.

"Truck buyers have a seemingly insatiable appetite for more content and more unique offerings," said José Muńoz, executive vice president, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and chairman, Nissan North America, Inc. "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."

Pushing the Boundaries

Just as the all-new TITAN XD with its Cummins® 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel engine has bulked up the standards for customers shopping the light-duty pickup class, the TITAN Warrior Concept was created to take the production version to the extreme.

"Nissan has always pushed the boundaries of traditional automotive design and engineering, from our Nissan GT-R supercar to the new TITAN XD," explained Muńoz. "We do this with a clear conviction that there are buyers out there who appreciate something everyone else does not have. A 'work hard, play harder, get bigger' TITAN XD certainly does the job."

The TITAN Warrior Concept builds on the recent Project Titan, a crowd-sourced customization of an original-generation Titan that sent two U.S. military veterans representing Wounded Warrior Project® on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in Alaska. The new concept truck also pays homage to Nissan's heritage of off-road racing and adventuring, which goes back to the days of Baja "Hardbody" competition pickups and Paris-Dakar Rally treks.

"As we launch the all-new 2016 TITAN XD, the TITAN Warrior Concept was conceived to share our team's pride and excitement to be back in the truck market in a big way," added Muńoz. "The team delivered."

A Warrior with a "Modern Armor" Exterior

The TITAN Warrior Concept creators had more than a strong foundation on which to build their vision of a bold and expanding future in the full-size pickup market, they had a familiar one.

As part of the group that brought the "American TITAN" to life – a group that ranged from Tennessee, Michigan, Mississippi, Indiana, Arizona and California – the design team imagined how their original TITAN design, inspired by warriors in ancient Greek mythology, might evolve to extreme levels of adventure duty.

First, while maintaining the TITAN XD Crew Cab's standard wheelbase and length, they wanted to give the concept truck an even more powerful presence than the original. The height was raised nearly three inches, from 78.7 inches to 81.5 inches, to fit a quartet of 37-inch tall off-road tires mounted on custom 18x9.5-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. The wheels' machined aluminum surfaces feature a dark matte finish and continue the production TITAN XD's "precision tool" design theme.

To create clearance for the new oversize tires and accommodate the new, long-travel suspension, the TITAN Warrior Concept's width was extended three inches on each side, from 80.6 inches total to 86.6 inches. Once the dimensions and imposing stance were mapped out, the extreme makeover began in earnest.

Building on the new second-generation TITAN's warrior-inspired styling, the designers amplified the protective look of the production exterior. Designating the new look as "modern armor" – with a stealthy, robotic quality – they continued the anatomical feel of the production TITAN, but added a more machine-like, sharper-edge appearance.

The grille and signature TITAN headlights were enhanced to offer a more technical, menacing look. The front and rear fenders have been flared and offer an extremely muscular appearance. Functional hood vents were added for cooling the powerful diesel engine. The broad hoodline is balanced underneath by the large front skidplate, which interlocks into the powerful front bumper.

Custom LED lights, front and rear, add to the TITAN Warrior Concept's stealthy presence. The headlights carry a sense of the new Nissan signature boomerang lights, but with a more precise, upright, robotic feel. In the rear, the integrated LED taillights take the form of a TITAN "T" logo, split by the wide tailgate. As a finishing touch, a quad-tipped exhaust system is integrated into the rear bumper.

Despite its massive bulk, TITAN Warrior Concept adds several aerodynamic elements, including carbon fiber rear cab spoiler and tailgate spoilers. Additional unique body elements include integrated, roof-mounted LED off-road lights.

The TITAN Warrior Concept is covered in a custom matte-gunmetal paint called "Thunder" and accented in special "Magma" orange and black color highlights.

"There's a sense to the exterior design that the TITAN Warrior Concept could drive right off the auto show stage and retrace the historic route of Nissan's off-road racing victories in the Baja Peninsula," said Muńoz. "And given the high-torque Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel, extensive suspension modifications and TITAN XD heavy-duty durability, it certainly could."

A Polished, Premium Sport Interior

Inside the TITAN Warrior Concept's rugged performance-focused exterior is an interior conceived to handle the abuse experienced on an extended off-road excursion in comfort and style.

"Today's truck enthusiasts don't just use their trucks for weekend adventures, they do double-duty as daily drivers," explained Muńoz. "Therefore the TITAN Warrior Concept's interior reflects a premium outdoor lifestyle, closer in look and content to a new TITAN XD Platinum Reserve model than a stripped-down pre-runner."

The interior design team at Nissan Design America wanted to give the vehicle a unique polished "chronograph" look and feel, focusing on materials and detailing while remaining true to the TITAN Warrior Concept's active performance theme. For example, the seats are covered in a carbon-colored high-strength seat fabric trimmed with "Magma" orange accents. Interior surfaces utilize material, such as carbon fiber, polished chrome finishes, leather with accented Magma orange stitching.

The TITAN Warrior Concept's steering wheel is custom-built, continuing the technical adventure theme, milled from one block of aluminum. Other interior details include unique hot-and-cold drink containers integrated into the center console. Robust auxiliary toggle switches are integrated into the center stack for additional off-road accessories. Instrument panel-mounted auxiliary gauges are provided to easily monitor truck performance.

Performance Unleashed

As an extreme adventure version of the new 2016 TITAN XD, the TITAN Warrior Concept utilizes the factory fully boxed ladder frame and Cummins® 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel engine and the standard heavy-duty 6-speed Aisin automatic transmission as its base.

Where the TITAN Warrior Concept departs from its production counterpart is in the full custom suspension design. In the front, the standard suspension has been replaced with custom upper and lower control arm with performance ball joints, along with racing-style internal bypass reservoir coil-over shocks with custom reservoir mounts and tie-rod extensions.

In the rear, the modifications include custom internal bypass reservoir shocks with custom reservoir mounts. Adjusted-length prototype axles were installed, along with a custom sway bar, relocated sway bar brackets and rear lift blocks and U-bolts. Hydraulic pressurized bump stops were also added front and rear.

Exploring New Boundaries

The debut of the TITAN Warrior Concept at the North American International Auto Show comes exactly one year since the debut of the production TITAN XD on the same stage. TITAN XD has been named "Truck of Texas" by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in their annual Texas Truck Rodeo, which puts the industry's best trucks, SUVs and CUVs through a grueling two-day evaluation. In addition to the competition's top award, Truck of Texas, the TITAN XD won three other honors – Luxury Pickup Truck of Texas, Off-Road Pickup Truck of Texas and Best Powertrain for its standard Cummins® 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel engine.

Now that TITAN XD Crew Cab with a Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel engine is in Nissan showrooms, the rollout of new models continues. In December, Nissan announced that advanced gas-powered Endurance® V8 producing 390 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque will be available in both TITAN and TITAN XD models beginning in early spring 2016.

Ultimately, the new TITAN will be offered in three cab configurations, two frame sizes, three powertrain offerings and five grade levels (more information on the full lineup will be available at a later date).

"While Nissan still has many roads and trails to travel as we continue to launch additional production versions of our bold new TITAN, this new TITAN Warrior Concept gives an important signal to American truck enthusiasts that our vision for exploring new boundaries remains strong," concluded Muńoz. "Truck lovers are never static and neither is TITAN."

Nissan Titan EV with a powertrain from Hercules Electric Vehicles and Hercules Alpha based on the Nissan Titan?

According to Bloomberg's unofficial sources, Nissan soon might also join the growing number of manufacturers that are working on a full-size electric pickup for the U.S. market.

The Japanese company reportedly is in talks with Hercules Electric Vehicles startup (founded in 2018). Hercules would like to offer a "rugged luxury" pickup called Hercules Alpha (from mid-2022).

Nissan would buy "a battery-electric powertrain" from Hercules Electric Vehicles to use in the EV version of its Titan model, while Hercules Electric Vehicles would use Titan parts in its project. Now we understand why the Hercules Alpha was so similar to the Nissan Titan in the visualizations.

Anyway, if the two companies sign the deal, we can add two new electric pickups in the pipeline - Nissan Titan EV and probably a niche, luxury model from Hercules.

Hercules Alpha
Hercules AlphaOf course, the rumor about the Nissan-Hercules deal raises tons of new questions, like why Nissan is not making its all-electric pickup in-house, especially since it has tons of experience with electrification.

The other thing is that Nissan's sales in the U.S. are falling. According to the article, in 2019, Titan sales declined 38%, and during the nine months of 2020, it declined a further 24% year-over-year to 19,403.

The relatively low sales volume (30-times lower than Ford F-Series at 589,034, also down 11% year-over-year) might provide us an answer as to why it's not worth it for Nissan to develop an electric version in-house.

The other question is whether Hercules Electric Vehicles really has the tech to electrify pickups?

According to a recent analysis, the Memorial Day deals this year are significantly reduced compared to 2020. CarsDirect explains this is due to “fundamental changes in manufacturer incentives and a buyer's ability to get a deal,” but there’s also the global chip shortage and other factors that contribute to the generally shrunken discount offers. Many manufacturers have taken away discounts altogether, and General Motors has even discontinued its program for teachers, military, and first responders.

Given that, it’s somewhat surprising but very welcomed to learn that Nissan has a killer deal for its Titan full-size truck. A dealer incentive bulletin revealed that the Japanese automaker is now offering a 0 percent APR on a seven-year loan for the Titan range. According to calculations by CarsDirect, this effectively cuts the price of a $50,000 truck by approximately $5,300 in what is one of the best Memorial Day deals this year.

Our source makes a quick comparison with Ford’s 84-month rate on the F-150 which is 8.9 percent APR. The calculations show that Nissan’s latest deal could make a $61,000 Titan Platinum Reserve cheaper to buy than a $46,000 F-150 XLT, and that’s absolutely bonkers. In general, no other manufacturer currently has as generous offers for trucks as Nissan’s Memorial Day truck deals.

Interestingly, this is not the Titan’s first serious offer in recent weeks. Just a few days ago, it was reported that a Springfield, Virginia dealership offered a super-cheap 99-cent Nissan Leaf lease if you buy a 2021 Nissan Titan truck. Obviously, you had to buy the Titan at full price to get the lease, but it was still a very attractive offer.

The 2022 Nissan Frontier looks pretty dang good. Pickups, big and small, have never been more popular in a mainstream sense, and so the timing was certainly right for Nissan to revitalize its midsize hauler — a model that dates back 17 years if you can believe it.

If you were hoping for the top-dog Titan to receive similar treatment, I’m afraid I have bad news for you. Well, not me but rather AutoForecast Solutions by way of Autoline Daily. It reports that the Titan will soon end production without a replacement waiting in the wings.

Be honest, though. If you’re aware of the Titan’s existence, you probably saw this coming. Over the past decade, the Titan’s biggest sales years came in 2017 and 2018, when Nissan shifted 52,924 and 50,459 trucks in the U.S., respectively. That was shortly after the Titan was redesigned comprehensively for the 2016 model year.

A refresh came in late 2019, but sales last year petered out at 26,441. By then, the Cummins diesel-powered XD was nixed from the range, too.

For context, Ford sells two, sometimes three times that many F-Series trucks every month — and yes, that’s still held true in our post-pandemic times. (I know “F-Series” doesn’t mean the same thing as “F-150,” but the Blue Oval doesn’t break out figures by weight class. Take it up with them.) Even Toyota has made a habit of shifting upwards of 100,000 Tundras per year, and that truck will be all new and way uglier for 2022.

Nissan would evidently rather pin its pickup hopes on the new Frontier and get behind the Ariya, which is a legitimately good-looking and promising EV for a brand that’s slowly been finding its footing after years of milquetoast products. This would probably be a smart move if it’s indeed the move Nissan plans to make. We reached out to the manufacturer for comment and will update this story with its response as soon as we have it.

The Nissan Titan will drive into the sunset at the end of the current model year. The decision to kill the workhorse is official and has been confirmed to several outlets subsequent to an internal memo ending up on the World Wide Web.
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"Production of the Nissan Titan is scheduled to end summer 2024 at our Canton plant in Mississippi," the car marque explained. "Under Nissan's Ambition 2030 vision of an electrified future, we are accelerating the process of transforming the Canton plant with the latest in EV manufacturing technology. This will support production of two all-new, all-electric vehicles."

In addition to the never-ending chase for expanding the offering with entirely new electric vehicles, the decision is also related to the poor sales of the Titan. The pickup has never really caught on, and it's been reported that Nissan initially targeted 100,000 annual sales back in 2016 when they launched the second generation. The model never reached that number and barely surpassed 50,000 copies in 2017 and 2018. On a more positive note, the company said that "there will be no job reductions in Decherd (the factory that builds the engines for the Titan) or Canton" as a result of "this action."

Related to the Armada and Patrol, the aging Nissan Titan has recently entered the 2024 model year, which is no longer available in the Titan Crew Cab S 4x2 base trim level. This version had an MSRP of $42,140, and the cheapest model that you can now buy is the SV Crew Cab 4x2, kicking off at $45,770, followed by the Platinum Reserve Crew Cab 4x2 from $59,440. The most affordable four-by-four is the SV, as it is available from $48,960. The PRO-4X and Platinum Reserve 4x4s starts at $53,580 and $62,750, respectively. The XD family comprises the SV, PRO-4X, and Platinum reserve, and it starts at $51,930, $57,890, and $65,840, respectively.

Besides dropping the previous entry-level model, the 2024 Nissan Titan is also available with a new SV Bronze Edition Package. As its name implies, it adds several bronze visual touches, with black accents joining them on the grille surround, sports bar, 20-inch wheels, and floor mats. Pricing for the pack starts at $2,980. Depending on the grade, buyers will get plenty of gear and will have to settle for a single engine, the 5.6-liter V8, which is the sole choice. The power unit develops 400 horsepower (406 ps/209 kW) and 413 pound-feet (560 Nm) of torque, and as we already told you, it’s offered with two- or four-wheel-drive. The demise of the Titan, as confirmed by theautopian, will leave Nissan with a single pickup offering in the United States, which is the Frontier that has an MSRP of nearly $30,000.