Last month
Chrysler LLC
and Nissan Motor Company jointly announced Chrysler would
build the next iteration of Nissan's Titan half-ton pickup
at Chrysler’s plant in Saltillo, Mexico, based on the 2009
Dodge Ram 1500. Nissan reps said the new Titan would retain certain
styling and performance elements to differentiate it from the Ram but
no specifics were provided. Now, sources have told PickupTruck.com some
of those details, plus information about a heavy duty version of the
Titan.
Externally,
the Titan half-ton will share its doors and roof panel with the all-new
Ram, while the rest of the Titan's sheetmetal
will be unique and designed by Nissan.
Like the
current Titan, the future truck will offer only two cab configurations,
extended cab and crew cab, even though the 2009
Ram will have a regular cab option. The Titan will also receive
Dodge's
new 'RamBox' storage feature, which adds dry lockable space to the
sides of the cargo box, and it will share the Ram’s innovative
new coil sprung rear suspension.
The
current Nissan Titan is only available with a 5.6-liter V8 but the next
Titan will offer a wide range of Chrysler-sourced engine choices, including
a 3.7-L V6, a 4.7-L V8 and *likely* the 5.7-L 'HEMI' V8,
instead of Nissan's next-generation 5.6-L 'Endurance' V8.
The HEMI's simpler overhead valve (aka pushrod) construction and
lower cost materials are expected to save several hundred dollars versus
the dual overhead cam 5.6-L V8. Cutting costs is critical in the increasingly
price sensitive full size truck market. Using the HEMI would also set
the Titan up to share the Ram's two-mode hybrid powertrain – fuel
economy being another highly important purchase consideration.
Nissan
is expected to continue to offer the Endurance V8 in its other vehicles,
like the Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX56 full size SUVs, but split into
two power classes, depending on brand. Those with Nissan badges will
receive a 400-hp version while Infiniti will receive
a high output 450-hp to 455-hp version.
The Ram
and Titan will also share the upcoming, Cummins-built V8 light duty
diesel engine, expected for the Ram in 2010.
Nissan also
announced plans in April to build three all-new light commercial vehicles
at its Canton, Mississippi factory, where the Titan is built today.
According to our sources, one of those vehicles will be a heavy duty
pickup that will be totally unique to Nissan – no parts will
be shared with the Dodge Ram.
The HD Titan
will come in three-quarter-ton and one-ton models. Single and dual
rear wheel versions are also expected. A concept HD Titan is expected
to appear in January 2009 at the North American International Auto
Show in Detroit.
