DIESEL MUSCLE, QUIET LUXURY
New-breed Nissan straddles half-ton and heavy-duty pickup segments
Picking their way through the dusty sagebrush, two wild horses suddenly appeared by the roadside, juvenile stallions who’d probably been run off by the herd’s leader once they’d reached puberty.
As surreal as this encounter seemed, it was also fitting, as most of my experiences with pickup trucks involve horses. Whether it’s on the backstretch at the racetrack or sharing tailgate lunches in the hunt field, the topic of conversation invariably turns to truck preference. When I picture the old-timers — blacksmiths, feed men, veterinarians, trainers — I can’t help wonder what they’d think of the rig I’m currently driving.
For the big stables and international shippers, nothing but a heavy-duty pickup would do. But amateur competitors, small trainers and recreational riders have an ongoing dilemma — the comfort and economy of a lightduty truck or the powerful solidity of a big, diesel-powered rig?
Mostly, a regular-size pickup, powerful enough for a bumper pull but often used as a daily driver, fits the bill nicely. But the growing trend for larger, heavier competitive horses led many of my friends to opt for larger pickups that can tow more. Sure, the ever more powerful half-ton pickup segment can pull increasingly large weights, but can they handle a moving load and, more importantly, stop it?
Nissan calls that gap between needs and what’s available, the “white space” between segments and is convinced the new Titan XD has filled it.
Powered by a 5.0-litre Cummins V-8 diesel, the Titan XD is the first of its kind to offer heavy-duty capability in a more manageable light-duty-size package. While Ram was the first diesel-powered 1500-series pickup, the Titan XD takes it much farther. Half-ton trucks are now posting tow ratings exceeding 10,000 pounds — numbers once seen only in the three-quarter ton segment — but they don’t have the solid frame, suspension and braking components of their larger counterparts.
The Titan XD is a completely new breed. It features a unique chassis based on the NV2500 cargo van, using a fully boxed steel ladder frame that’s been reinforced for torsional rigidity.
It rides on beefed-up suspension bits consisting of a doublewishbone and coil-over setup with stabilizer bar up front, and leaf springs with twin-tube shocks and a 3.5-inch solid rear axle. A 10.5-inch rear differential, available with electronic locker, has a final gear ratio of 3.9:1. Ventilated disc brakes are at each corner and instead of electric-assisted steering, there’s a hydraulic recirculating ball system with parallel rod links.
Most notable is Titan XD’s powertrain. While the Titan XD’s new Cummins diesel — weighing only 362 kilograms — is considered one of the company’s “baby” engines, it shares the same long block as those found in commercial vehicles with a 13,607-kilogram gross vehicle weight rating. It’s paired to a heavy-duty sixspeed Aisin transmission.
The 5.0-litre V-8 has an output of 310 horsepower, but more importantly, 555 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm — 45 per cent more than the gas-powered Titan. The flat torque curve is mostly the result of a new Holset two-stage turbocharger system, designed for Titan XD.
Cummins’ Steve Sanders explains there are technically two turbos, but “they don’t function as a traditional compound system with a turbo on [either] bank,” with the first one continuously feeding the other.
Behind the smaller, highpressure turbo hides a larger one. Between the two, a rotary valve “diverts the exhaust gases from the first turbo, then to both and then finally cuts off the first,” so the second turbo is carrying the load. The system virtually eliminates turbo lag and ensures immediate power delivery for smooth towing.
One of the drawbacks to diesel power plants is the telltale clattering, not desirable for a vehicle doubling as a daily driver. Another Cummins innovation results in a virtual elimination of any typical diesel noise. A new injection system created for this engine fires small bursts — five per cycle — during combustion so that the piston travel through the cylinder wall is smoother and less abrupt. The fuel pump is also sequenced with the combustion cycle, which covers up any noise produced by the pump.
Nissan ensured the Titan XD featured all the requisite creature comforts of a daily driver while being engineered to work — and work hard. The bed features a spray-in liner, four hard tie-downs and Nissan’s Utili-Track channel system, which allows myriad ways of securing a load. There are numerous lights, including beneath the frame rails, and a 120-volt outlet for anything from coolers to power tools.
Standard is a fully integrated frame-mounted gooseneck hitch with a removable ball so as not to interfere with the bed’s payload capacity. The hole has a cover for messy loads like mulch or fertilizer. And Titan’s optional bedside storage boxes can be removed when more payload is needed.
Outwardly, the Titan XD is similar to the gasoline version but with a longer, higher nose to accommodate the diesel. Upper trims boast angry, T-shaped LED driving lights, and the interior is as comfortable as any SUV and has the same level of technology.
There are a variety of bed and cabin-size configurations, starting from base S-trim, right up to a fully loaded Platinum Reserve trim. For off-roaders, there’s the Titan PRO4X, complete with a locking differential, underbody skid plates, Bilstein shocks and a unique paint scheme.
Depending on trim level, there’s quilted leather and optional seven-inch infotainment system with GPS navigation, along with a 12-speaker Rockford Fosgate sound system and the same Zero Gravity seats found in the Maxima. Nissan’s Around View Monitor boasts 360 degrees of awareness using audible warnings and an onscreen display. Rear seats flip up to reveal a lockable storage box.
On road, it’s an extremely well-mannered vehicle — even unladen — with a library-quiet cabin. This is thanks partly to the use of laminated sandwich glass normally found in luxury sedans and hydraulic bed-to-frame mounts rather than the typical rubber “hockey pucks.”
In an off-road comparison test against the Ford F-350 and Chevrolet Silverado 3500, the Titan XD was considerably more refined. Ram was not available.
The crew-cab Titan XD 4x4 has a maximum tow rating of 5,443 kilograms and a payload of 949 kg. Towing a 4,082-kg enclosed car trailer, the Titan felt really solid and the engine brake, Downhill Speed Control, trailer brake and sway controls add to the sense of security.
Anyone who tows alone will appreciate the backup camera that clearly aligns the ball with the trailer’s hitch, and the new Trailer Light Check system: simply hook up the electrical, walk behind the trailer, then press the key fob. The system runs through the light check sequentially, then honks when done.
While Canadian prices are not yet available, the Titan XD is expected to start at about US$40,000 for a base crew cab 4x4, up to US$60,000 for the Platinum Reserve. No fuel economy numbers are yet available and the expected arrival date in Canada is in early 2016.