Filed under: Trucks/Pickups, Chrysler, LLC., Dodge, Nissan
New info on Nissan's Ram-based Titan pickup
More details have emerged about the next-generation Dodge Ram-based Nissan Titan pickup. Questions about how similar the two trucks will be have been partially answered, as Pickuptruck.com reports that the Titan and Ram will share only their doors and roof panels. The next-gen Titan will feature an exterior and interior designed solely by Nissan, which should put to rest concerns about a rebadged Dodge Ram. The two trucks will, however, share platforms, the Ram's new coil-sprung rear suspension, the cool RamBox storage compartment (despite hearing previously that the Titan wouldn't get this feature), and engines. In fact, in addition to a 3.7L V6 and 4.7L V8 sourced from Chrysler and a Cummins light-duty diesel V8, Nissan may offer Chrysler's 5.7L HEMI V8 rather than its own 5.6L 'Endurance' V8. Apparently the HEMI costs several hundred dollars less to build than the Endurance engine. Pickuptruck.com reports that the 5.6L V8 would still live on in the Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX56 producing 400 and 450 horsepower, respectively.
Nissan is also reportedly going to produce a three-quarter-ton and one-ton Heavy Duty Titan, though these trucks will share no components with Chrysler products and be built alongside two other yet-to-be-announced light commercial vehicles at Nissan's plant in Canton, Mississippi.
[Source: Pickuptruck.com]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Benfolio 2:03PM (5/02/2008)
Wait, WHAT?? What's wrong with Nissan building thier own truck?
Where did this come from?
Reply
SPG 2:06PM (5/02/2008)
Not a bad idea, I'm intrested to see how this will go.
However, I remember when hearing "Nissan's about to go Chrysler before the K-Car" being tossed around in conversation back in the 90's.
Reply
LMBVette 2:10PM (5/02/2008)
Is this really the best time for anyone to expand further into the truck building business with $4 per gallon gas?
You think Toyota is beginning to regret spending over 1 billion on their Tundra plant in Texas? My guess is...yep!!!
Reply
MikeofLA 2:19PM (5/02/2008)
All that needs to happen to save the SUV and Truck industry, is a higher emphasis on Hybrid (plug in or otherwise). The Tahoe Hybrid gets 25+ MPG. That's better then my 335i gets. Another problem they need to address, is that it costs MORE then my BMW.
bmw4dea 2:43PM (5/02/2008)
Actually the Tahoe hybrid DOES NOT get 25+ mpg. do your research
http://www.chevrolet.com/tahoe/specifications/
Dan 2:32PM (5/02/2008)
So they'll be identical in all the ways that count, just slightly different sheetmetal so when you need a replacement quarter panel down the road the Nissan version will be rare and expensive. Stupid.
Reply
The Talking Hamburger 12:23PM (5/03/2008)
I don't see how it's stupid, considering you'd decry the same badge engineering decried by GM amongst in-house products. Even GM puts more individual design into its shared platforms, so you couldn't share quarter panels with an Aura or a G6.
k.pennington 2:32PM (5/02/2008)
This makes me sad. I love the Endurance engine in my Titan. Gets better gas mileage than the hemi and is a much more advanced engine technology-wise.
Reply
Frank 2:37PM (5/02/2008)
Are you sure it's a more advanced engine? And how do you define that? More gadgets like throttle by wire, coil over ignition, cylinder deactiviation technology? The Hemi has all that and more.
BigMcLargeHuge 2:34PM (5/02/2008)
Ok, the Hemi is fine, and the Cummins is useful. Especially with gas prices the way they are, I'd take a Nissan Diesel.
But the 3.7 V6? Seriously, what's wrong with the VQ-series 4.0 engine? Nissan builds one of the best V6 engines out there?
Why, Nissan? WHY!!!
Reply
Stéphane Dumas 9:36PM (5/02/2008)
For the Nissan diesels, there was once at the time when Chrysler had a marine division for boat engines, they had a sort of joint-venture with Chrysler, http://www.marineengine.com/discus/messages/12507/4797.shtml these engines was also briefly found under the hood of the International Scout
And some folks have too much fun with Photoshop to imagine what could come next between Nissan and Chrysler http://forums.motortrend.com/70/6709620/the-artists-loft/first-fruit-of-chrysler-nissan-tie-up/index.html
Frank 2:39PM (5/02/2008)
I'm guessing it will cost too much money to adapt the (very good) Nissan V6 to the engine cradle and tranny of the Ram.
Reply
Frank 2:42PM (5/02/2008)
This doesn't make sense to me. If you're gonna use Dodge's half ton as the basis for your own truck, then why build your own stand-alone 3/4 and 1 ton? Why not build yours off the Ram heavy duties?
Reply
dm00012 2:52PM (5/02/2008)
The only problem I have with this is the sharing of the HEMI. Everything else is fine.
Reply
havoc 3:29PM (5/02/2008)
the result won't be accepted by dodge lovers, or nissan folks (live long and prosper).
it'll be some kind of also-ran like the mitsu raider was. oh well, nissan i applaud your attempt, i have liked the titan's since day 1.
Reply
sw 3:50PM (5/02/2008)
I wonder if the 2012 Viper will be a rebadged GT-R
Reply
awdrifter 6:55PM (5/04/2008)
No, you got it wrong. The 2012 GT-R will be a rebadged Viper.
sw 8:27AM (5/05/2008)
Considering Dodge has neither the funds, nor the inclination. I disagree.
Justin 6:04PM (5/02/2008)
Not dissing the Endurance motor, but going with Dodge's revised 5.7 is a good call imo, especially if it makes essentially the same power for less money, regardless of displacement.
Reply
Timsvtgen1 7:02PM (5/02/2008)
Yea, This whole situation doesn't make a tid bit of sense.
Reply