[PRT]

I had a chance to check out the Titan XD in the metal at CIAS in Toronto last week. Great looking truck in person IMO, there wasn't much new information to soak up and the Nissan reps weren't all that informed about the XD. They knew it was coming, they knew it was big and that it would have a diesel, but outside of that they seemed more preoccupied with selling Rogues and Maximas.

Cool though were the concept sketched Nissan brought along to display with the NP1500.

Consistency. Nissan has done an excellent job on transitioning their design vision to reality with relatively few changes. Its Nissans consistency here that has me confused about the last sketch they had on display.

You can make out PRO4X printed the lower front bumper, problem is the PRO4X shares little resemblance to the concept sketches, which struck me as odd considering Nissan had been consistent to this point.

The sketch shows an idealized concept, one thats bad and brash. PRO4X isn't on terms with Fords Raptor nor RAMs Power Wagon. Could this one roque sketch serve as a signal that Nissan is interested in the high end sport truck segment?

Questions, Questions, Questions...

 

[TurboDiesel]

I'm really liking how close the real deal is to these renderings.
However it would have been even better if everything above the belt line was more along the lines of whats in the rendering.... that would be something.

 

[Jasonmotox]

Yeah I'm liking the chiseled body lines of the renderings a lot better. The last one is bad a55, I like how the hood and front recess back into the quarter panels.

 

[Imadogman]

Why do the Auto manufacturers never have the ballz to build a concept. Is it because it is redesigned by committee or do the aerodynamicist give it a failing grade. Are they too difficult to build or are they just trying to hit a segment of people who have no taste. What is the demographic that they are looking for?
I am in my 60's, and to my eyes, the artist renderings are all much nicer looking than the finished product. Who decides to make the new designs look like they are designed by really old people for old people.

I will have to see one in person to make a final judgment, but the artists renderings already make the new XD look fuddy duddy.

Oh, and one more time Nissan. "LOSE THE STUPID CUMMINS BADGE"
Another observation. The white stitching looks nice on the seats. How long before it looks brown or gray.

 

[NavyCuda]

Oh, and one more time Nissan. "LOSE THE STUPID CUMMINS BADGE"

That would be stupid of Nissan, in a big way. Perhaps you meant to word it differently, lose the grill and retain the cummins badge.

Removing the Cummins branding on the Titan will reduce sales.

Concept vehicles are always taken to the extreme, but are dialed back to be appropriate for mass production.

 

[Imadogman]

That would be stupid of Nissan, in a big way. Perhaps you meant to word it differently, lose the grill and retain the cummins badge.

Removing the Cummins branding on the Titan will reduce sales.

Concept vehicles are always taken to the extreme, but are dialed back to be appropriate for mass production.

NavyCuda,
No I did not mean to word it differently. The Cummins badge ruins the look of the fender. It was designed originally to be a vent to help cool the engine. It didn't work, so they constructed the ugly Cummins badge to cover the hole in the fender. I have never said to remove the Cummins branding from the truck. Advertise Cummins all over the truck if you like, but do it tastefully. That fender badge is a gaudy scab, and that is my opinion, and it is shared by many on these forums. It can not be easily removed because of the hole that it protrudes from. This is my opinion, and it will not change. Yours may vary.
Your opinion is worth the same as mine at Nissan USA, less than 2 cents. I don't recall ever receiving any kind of questionnaire from Nissan asking my opinion regarding the new Titan while in the design stages. I guess their marketing geniuses hand picked the people that they questioned about the new design. Maybe some have never even driven a truck...who knows? Why not ask Titan owners? I suppose it's better to keep everyone in the dark until you release your new design. (NOT!)



As for being dialed back, why should they dial the design all the way back to awkward looking, or bulbous, or unattractive. How that makes it appropriate for mass production, seems strange. Maybe they should consider dialing them forward towards mass sales, not mass produced lot queens. At least the fender vent in the second concept picture matches the fender lines.


I have a 2004 Titan. I love it, even though it has its little issues. It still has style of its own, and does not look like it was designed by committee, and it is still the most fun 1/2 ton pickup to drive. I am looking forward to the new Titan non-XD. I hope it doesn't have a stupid badge proclaiming it to be a 5.6L gas engine in the same spot as the Cummins badge. I have my fingers crossed for a console shifter again too.

 

[Imadogman]

I follow this forum as well as titantalk.com and a couple of others. There is virtually no buzz about the new XD on these other sites. Maybe it's because it is not available yet, or there is nothing left to say. I kind of expected a bit more excitement about this truck. No one wants it to succeed more than I do. I can't bring myself to buy one of the big three right now. They don't offer what I want. I have come to the conclusion that the XD version does not suit my needs, unless they come out with a shorter wheelbase King Cab version with a 6.5ft bed. I would consider buying one but I would immediately take it to a body shop to have the damage on front fenders repaired. I expect that Nissan reads some of these forums. I know that they take some of our posts with a grain of salt, because they can't custom build trucks for individuals. From a lot of the threads that I have read, I just don't feel a positive vibe for this truck. That may just be the nature of the forums and blogs. Most people write negative shiz.


I am trying to offer constructive criticism while Nissan is considering any changes to their design before production begins. It may have little or no effect, but you never know.
Hi Nissan USA!
Your loyal Titan driver,
Imadogman
Climbing mountains, running desert, towing trailers, hauling stuff, going fishing, hunting, and using my console shifter a lot, especially offroad...all the while passing everything but a gas station.

 

[TurboDiesel]

Another thing i noticed with these sketches/renderings or what ever you want to call them, is it has LED headlights

 

[Imadogman]

^^^^That looks nice. Maybe 2018 Titan XD ☺

 

[Forge]

Why do the Auto manufacturers never have the ballz to build a concept. Is it because it is redesigned by committee or do the aerodynamicist give it a failing grade. Are they too difficult to build or are they just trying to hit a segment of people who have no taste. What is the demographic that they are looking for?

I think it usually is due to it costing too much to produce. Concepts are built as one offs but a production vehicle needs to be mass produced at a certain price in order to make a profit. It all comes down to dollars and cents.

 

[TurboDiesel]

^^^^That looks nice. Maybe 2018 Titan XD ☺

To some extent, yes.
During some time of the generation of this Titan, there is a possibility it could get LED headlights.

 

[Bianchi]

I think it usually is due to it costing too much to produce. Concepts are built as one offs but a production vehicle needs to be mass produced at a certain price in order to make a profit. It all comes down to dollars and cents.

And pickups are some of the highest margin grossing products in the industry... Aside from the new Cummins most of the XD has already been amortised through Nissans existing product...

We're talking about $80,000 pickup trucks here man, I don't care that its not a luxury product in the traditional sense of the word, but if you're going to ask luxury money at least provide me with the semiotics of luxury...

 

[PRT]

Check out what Ford did with the new Raptors lights... I think these are unbelievably pretty...

 

[TitanMan]

The concept looks better! Looks more like a beast within. What Nissan should be looking to express so they can grab the crowd.

Cheers

 

[Bianchi]

The concept looks better! Looks more like a beast within. What Nissan should be looking to express so they can grab the crowd.

Cheers

I'm holding onto this delusion that Nissan intends to build a Raptor calibre truck... I mean, they already designed one...

 

[thetitanproject]

The design has really grown on me since January. I think it will dress up nicely. Looking forward to seeing any changes they make to the production model. After playing around in Photoshop, with a mid/long travel kit and some beefy shoes it will look great. Besides, it's hard to ignore what is under the body work!

 

[Forge]

The design has really grown on me since January. I think it will dress up nicely. Looking forward to seeing any changes they make to the production model. After playing around in Photoshop, with a mid/long travel kit and some beefy shoes it will look great. Besides, it's hard to ignore what is under the body work!

Until you get a test drive its hard to get excited about what's under the hood, but in the end that is what really counts. Can't wait till people get to do some test drives and report back to us.

 

[TurboDiesel]

Until you get a test drive its hard to get excited about what's under the hood, but in the end that is what really counts. Can't wait till people get to do some test drives and report back to us.

Just hope that Nissan has plans to influence this, holding a test drive event for the media and all.
Even going as far as setting up towing tests with various weight caps