e-News® | The NEWS Company…Inverness, Jan 13, 2016 : When Nissan unveiled its all-new Titan full-size pickup at the Detroit auto show last year, there were many who took one look at the new truck’s styling and diagnosed a case of Ford’s F-series envy. Whether or not that’s fair, Ford’s F-series has been America’s bestselling vehicle for what seems like forever, and it therefore makes an almost inescapable point of reference for any manufacturer designing a new full-size pickup. This year, Nissan takes the wraps off a concept version of the Titan called the Warrior, and one can’t help but see the reflection of another F-series: the Ford F-150 Raptor.
Like the Raptor, the Warrior has been optimized for off-roading. The look, which Nissan characterizes as “adventure-ready, desert racing–inspired design,” is transformative. The concept stands almost three inches taller than the standard Titan XD and is some six inches wider. Wider, flared fenders accommodate massive, 37-inch off-road tires on 18-by-9.5-inch custom wheels.
Although the XD’s Cummins 5.0-liter turbo-diesel V-8 and six-speed automatic are unmodified, the Warrior does ride on a completely new, long-travel suspension with hydraulic pressurized bump stops. The front suspension also employs new control arms, more robust ball joints, tie-rod extensions, and internal-bypass reservoir coil-over shocks. Internal-bypass reservoir shocks are also featured at the rear, along with new anti-roll bars, lift blocks, and extended axles.
Mostly, though, the Warrior concept’s big changes have to do with its appearance. Against a backdrop of matte-gray paint, Nissan designers have created a unique look for the Warrior. Starting from the top down, there are roof-mounted low-profile LED off-road lights (six per side), and a spoiler is integrated into the rear of the cab. All trim is rendered in gloss black. The restyled hood includes functional air vents and flows into the all-black grille. New LED headlights take the shape of interlocking Cs. The wider fenders sport gloss-black flares that integrate side-marker lights. Orange accents and matte-silver elements brighten the lower body. At the front is a custom lower fascia with a skid plate, while at the rear, the restyled tailgate features a large black trim panel and is topped by another spoiler. The redesigned rear bumper incorporates quad exhaust outlets. The interior is tweaked, as well, with black cloth-and-leather seats with orange accents, machined-aluminum steering-wheel spokes, a trio of auxiliary gauges atop the center dash, additional toggle switches, and a center console with heated and cooled cupholders.
For now, the Warrior is just a concept. But this is easily the best-looking Titan we’ve seen so far, and for that reason alone we’d love to see Nissan emulate Ford one more time by putting this off-road-inspired pickup into production.
