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2004
Nissan Titan
By: Tom Keefe,
Michael Levine,
JJ GertlerUpdated:
01-08-03 13:00
© 2003 PickupTruck.com
Page: [1]
[2] [Specs]
Yes, Nissan's
new pickup is a true full-size truck. With a name like Titan it better
be.
But the Titan
is not only big. Nissan promises the Titan will break new ground in functionality
and performance its rookie year versus the veteran truck competition from
Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Toyota.
PUTC was
the first to speak with Nissan President Carlos Ghosn after he unveiled
the Titan. We asked him why, with so many new Nissans being unveiled at
Detroit, he appeared only for the Titan launch.
“This
is the king of our lineup,” Ghosn replied. “The (2004) Maxima,
the Quest, the (Infiniti) FX45 are all important products. But the Titan
is our king.”
In developing
the Titan Nissan engineers spent over 2-1/2 years researching what truck
owners think a full-size pickup should be and they gave 14 examples to
prove Titan is a full-size truck owners will embrace:
| 1. |
300+
horsepower, which we estimate to be between 345 to 355-hp |
| 2. |
375+
pound-feet of torque, more than Dodge's new 5.7-liter HEMI motor |
| 3. |
A
5-speed automatic transmission with tow/haul mode |
| 4. |
17-inch
or 18-inch wheels and tires - Nissan engineers tested the Titan
extensively off road. All that testing proved to the engineers that
a higher sidewall was more important than a larger wheel. While
the larger wheel may look a little better the decision was towards
performance rather than looks
|
| 5. |
Four
wheel disc, four channel ABS brake system that is used to assist traction
on and off road |
| 6. |
A
full size 6 ½ foot bed with 50 inches between the wheel wells. |
| 7. |
Lockable
storage compartment outside the truck that can hold up to 3 cubic
feet of hitch, tow strap, chains or other stuff |
| 8. |
9400-pound
trailering capacity, the highest of any full-size extended cab |
| 9. |
Rear
doors that don’t trap you when you are parked next to a vehicle
and need to open both doors at the same time. The rear doors open
a full 168-degrees |
| 10. |
A
center console that can hold hanging files |
| 11. |
79-inches
width - if it were one-inch wider it would require cab, tailgate and
rear fender marker lights |
| 12. |
Electronic
rear locking differential for 4x4 that engages in low-range first-gear,
otherwise the brake system limits slip |
| 13. |
29
gallon fuel tank |
| 14. |
140-inch
wheelbase |
The Titan
isn't the radical departure in styling hinted at in Nissan’s Alpha
concept from the 2001 North American International Auto Show but with
precision milled industrial looks it’s quite a departure from other
full-size pickups.
The front
of the Titan shares familial design cues with the Nissan Hardbody, a version
of the compact Frontier pickup sold overseas. Its V-framed Nissan logo,
a traditional Nissan truck cue, sits squarely in the center of the mesh
grille between two prominent angular headlights. A massive front bumper
surrounds the lower air inlet with shiny chrome bordered by rounded fog
lamps. The A-pillar and windshield are steeply raked and broad front fenders
sweep back to meet the front doors.
Its sides
are glass smooth with front doors that feature contemporary pull-type
handles. The bed tightly hugs the rear of the cab. Just ahead of the rear
wheels a vertical edge rises and then sweeps back to the tailgate as a
sharply defined shoulder. Angular tail lamps balance out the front headlights.
Only the
King Cab model was shown in Detroit - the Crew Cab will debut at the New
York Auto Show.
Page: [1]
[2] [Specs]
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