Nissan took the wraps off its long-awaited 2016 Titan XD full-sized pickup: touted not only to be the first of a new line of Titan models but also of what Carlos Ghosn, Nissan’s president and CEO, called its “commitment” to “localized” production.
“Nissan has invested more than $5 billion in the U.S. in the past five years and has moved manufacturing for several models from overseas to its North American plants,” he said during the introduction of the new Titan at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week.
Powered by an all-new Cummins 5.-liter V8 turbocharged diesel engine cranking out 310 hp and 555 lb.-ft. of torque, the 2016 Titan XD Crew Cab will be the first of three cab configurations, two frame sizes, three powertrain offerings and five grade levels to be available later for the entire 2016 Titan model lineup, Ghosn noted.
[To view a gallery of Titan XD photos, click here.]
“In addition to a range of cab configurations, the Titan lineup will ultimately encompass multiple powertrain choices, including an all-new workhorse gasoline V8, as well as our first V6 offering in this class,” he said. “More information will be available at a later date.”
Projected to go on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide in late 2015, the new Titan XD features:
- Available maximum towing capacity of more than 12,000 lbs.;
- Improved aerodynamics via items such as rear tire wind deflectors, bed seals between the cab and bed and integrated spoilers for the front, roof and tailgate;
- Optional convenience aids that include RearView Monitor with Trailer Guides, Around View Monitor (AVM) with Moving Object Detection (MOD) plus Blind Spot Warning (BSW) and a Front and Rear Sonar System;
- An optional Trailer Light Check system that allows one-person hook-up operation, including checking turn signals, brake lights and running/clearance lights from outside the vehicle;
- A liquid crystal display (LCD) message center that can deliver a list of text messages to help monitor critical engine temperature and pressure levels while hauling and towing.
"With the 2016 Nissan Titan XD, we aren't just going for 'best-in-class.' Instead, we are offering the 'Best New Class,’” Ghosn pointed out. “The Titan offers the effortless towing and hauling of the larger, more expensive heavy-duty trucks yet has the fuel-efficiency and affordability of half-ton pickups.”