We just got off the phone with Frédérique Le Grèves, Nissan's VP of Corporate Communications, and had a chance to ask her some more questions about the Japanese automaker's recently announced partnership with Chrysler LLC. The partnership involves Chrysler building a full-size truck for Nissan at its Saltillo, Mexico plant and Nissan building a small car for Chrysler at its Oppama plant in Japan. While Le Grèves wasn't able to offer many specific details because the car won't arrive until 2010 and the truck a year later in 2011, she did shed some light on a few things.
For one, when asked about what engines the next-gen Titan (we're not sure if Nissan will rename the truck) would use, Le Grèves remarked that partnering with Chrysler would allow Nissan to offer more options to its customers. Thus, the Titan may be powered by not only the company's venerable VK56 V8, but also a selection of engines from Chrysler. She indicated that the partnership would at least give Nissan the opportunity to expand the features, options and configurations it currently offers in the Titan. We also asked how unique the next-gen Titan's design would be compared to the Ram, and were assured it would be 100% recognizable as a Nissan. Based on that, we're expecting more differentiation that we got with Volkswagen's version of Chrysler's minivans, the Routan.
As for the small car, since most of the decisions involving its development will be made by Chrysler, there wasn't too much news from Nissan on it. Since all official commentary on the small car has not specified whether it will be front-wheel-drive or not, we asked if there were at least the possibility that it could be rear-wheel-drive. Being that the Oppama plant currently builds a number of front-wheel-drive vehicles like the Cube, March, Tiida/Versa and Note, one would expect Chrysler's small car to fall in line and be front-wheel-drive as well, but no one's been able to confirm this small point yet.
It appears that we all have to wait for each automaker to get further along on their development of these vehicles before we get any more solid details than this.
Thanks to Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com for setting up the interview!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Specialk @ Apr 16th 2008 3:36PM
what would happen to the armada?
John Neff @ Apr 16th 2008 5:18PM
They intimated the Armada, QX56, Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra, all of which share components with the Titan believe it or not, would continue on after the Titan is switched over to the Ram platform.
iamhoff @ Apr 16th 2008 3:45PM
Probably the only ChryCo powertrain to make it into the new truck would be the Cummins Turbo Diesel. The Nissan VK is solid enough that I doubt they'd abandon it for the Hemi.
Ted Craig @ Apr 16th 2008 3:52PM
How soon before the fully integrated Chrysler-Nissan-Renault alliance becomes a reality? It makes sense in so many ways.
jjfire @ Apr 16th 2008 4:47PM
Dude it sounds like your saying the nissan v8 is better than the HEMI. I think you should take a look at the specs of the HEMI, you will find that it blows everything alese away. http://allpar.com/mopar/new-mopar-hemi.html
Stuka @ Apr 16th 2008 9:41PM
jjfire: The hemi's torque curve sucks for a truck. Off idle torque is nill. Its all mid to high rpm power. I would take the VK over the hemi any day. Not to mention fuel economy of the hemi is horrible.
havoc @ Apr 17th 2008 12:07PM
The VK is a fantastic engine, and probably would get some updates done just as most other engines have.
I would expect something on par with the other manufacturers, 375/400 ish, with 90% of torque avail way down low. maybe keep the original vk56 as an entry level engine (similar to toyota).
just because it says 'hemi' (and chrysler stuffs it into every rwd platform) doesn't mean it's the greatest thing known to man.
Dan @ Apr 16th 2008 4:02PM
If the Hemi weren't already so widespread across their model line up, Chrysler should want to use the Nissan powertrain.
For everything else wrong with the Titan, the powertrain puts everything except the Tundra to shame.
And they offer it in every truck without forcing you to buy $12,000 of fake woodgrain and power seats and so forth to get a fast motor. GM that means you.
BOB @ Apr 16th 2008 4:03PM
What happens to the plant making the trucks now? We can assume the behemoth Armada will die, and a Frontier and Pathfinder will be made there, returning to a better size for the market when they no longer need to share platforms with the Titan/Armada.
Not said by JN -- maybe to keep relations with Nissan's people: the whole US huge truck operation was an also-ran and a loser, with overlarge and ungainly vehicles. The Dodge deal gives them a gracious (and cheaper) way to stay in that market.
Other news suggested the Japanese made car would be off the Versa platform -- I think speculation of anything else, including rear drive, is odd. They need to share a platform with a Nissan made there to get economy of scale.
Way of the Future @ Apr 16th 2008 4:09PM
The titan and armada were nice, but like most Nissan products, full of factory defects especially brakes and with dealers that are especially of no help and do not have the right personnel to fix cars, I doubt Nissan will be as successful as they were in the mid 2000's.
I am just scared for those that will buy GT-Rs and have to get them serviced at a Nissan Dealer. That is a scary thought (that's the only reason I will not buy one)
TriShield @ Apr 16th 2008 4:27PM
The next Titan or whatever they call it will be a restyled Ram. Just like the Mitsubishi Raider is a restyled Dakota. They can't radically change the Ram's design or engineering for Nissan as the same plant has to build both flavors of the truck for each brand.
I would expect the Nissan flavor to carry Nissan's own V8. Chrysler's HEMI is a potent brand name that's unique to Chrysler's brands and it won't be shared with anyone else. You can bet Chrysler's 4.7L and other engines will be in the Nissan though.
BOB @ Apr 16th 2008 5:48PM
You're right --- assuming it is economical for them to continue to manufacture that V8, in the face of lower sales than originally projected, and the lack of need for an Armada.
gforce @ Apr 16th 2008 4:47PM
How closely they look to each other really depends on the level of flex manufacturing capability the plant has. The Caliber/Compass/Patriot look markedly different and yet are not just built at the same plant, but on the same line, all mixed together. I would expect a newer plant would have even greater flexibility.
mroverlord @ Apr 16th 2008 6:06PM
Just as an FYI - The Saltillo plant is not new..they have been making vehicles there for many years. I believe it is where the Mexican Ramchargers were made prior to the Gen III Rams. I agree the vehicles would not need to look THAT similar. Being full frame they could literally put a different body on it (not that they would).
MajorGeek @ Apr 16th 2008 6:03PM
Ram truck is nice, one of the few Dodges I like. I never liked Nissan and I wanted to. The new Toyota as well, friend was over today, he is getting around 10 MPG and having tranny problems that he claims is widespread, I dont know... Not that Dodge didnt have their tranny problems. If the 2 team up with Dodge styling and Nissan quality, it could FINALLY make a truck worth looking at.
dragonhead08 @ Apr 16th 2008 7:27PM
Check all of the Titan sites and you'll see none of use are happy about this. Nissan just gave Toyota a whole new batch of customers.
Mike V. @ Apr 17th 2008 9:06AM
What?
That is absolutely ridiculous...
fm @ Apr 16th 2008 10:38PM
This won't interest most people but I wanted to tell autoblog. I just wanted to say I am happy to see Mrs. Le Grèves' name properly spelled with the accents.
Jeremy B @ Apr 20th 2008 5:22PM
Lord have mercy. Havent you nuts heard! The HEMI is set to be axed in the next couple of years! And good ridence! The engine was horrible on gas and created a great deal of air pollution!