The more I read about the new Titan the more confusing things get. This truck is flat out confusing! Everything about it is confusing…the body design is confusing (looks like a Ford from the rear, a RAM and Ford from the side…****** is this thing?), most of the media coverage is confusing, the creation of some odd new XD group that isn’t quite an HD truck but bigger/heavier than a LD truck meanwhile, their GVWR's are splitting hairs with HD trucks is confusing. Even the rear axle is confusing where some outlets are talking of a 13” rear ring gear while others are saying 10.5”. What is XD stand for anyway? Like a spin-off of “XM” was to “FM”? Now we have an “XD” opposed to an “HD”? And they will launch the light duty after the "XD"??
Their powertrain and truck model launch mix strategy also seems very odd with pumping out all “XD” diesels first. Well, they might as well grab as many initial so called ½ ton truck diesel sales as they can so all of the guys that have been foolishly screaming for a ½ ton diesel get theirs. It will definitely be interesting to see how many of those ½ ton truck diesel wishers put their money where their mouth is given the fact the cost spread between gas and diesel is growing further apart each day (currently almost $2 difference gallon here). Obviously, fuel cost is always a moving target and it is very unlikely gasoline will remain this cheap and the gas vs. diesel fuel cost gap will be THIS BIG for very long, but one thing that won’t change…… Diesels will always cost more to purchase, maintain, and repair. And by repair, be prepared to repair often as that is the way the modern diesels roll, even by the beloved Cummins.
I foresee this truck being greeted by a tough market later this year at a very bad time to be launching a ½ ton diesel truck, just like how hybrids have been taking a beating in sales. The Nissan execs must to be nervous as hell right now to be placing all of their eggs in a diesel basket (there must be some very strict engine buy quantity dictated by Cummins going on there for a product launch mix like that). I also predict the sales of this all-new unique truck will be propelled by heavy incentives right out of the shoot….If not out of the shoot, I predict heavy incentives will definitely arrive within the first year it’s on the market. The Titan and Tundra just seem like they are carrying on the legacy of the two old bastard trucks of yesteryear that never quite caught on either….Jeep J-Series and International pickups and even Studebaker before that. Both Nissan and Toyota should do what they do best and focus on great smaller trucks and leave the big stuff to the 3 that know what they are doing.
This will be an interesting truck to watch. Who knows, maybe it is the next greatest thing...Fred Diaz, who Nissan cherry picked from Chrysler is a pretty brilliant guy. Maybe he is onto something here. I think they are crazy
Anybody else find this entire new Titan launch confusing?