Some might remember that Nissan Titan designer Diane Allen referred to images of gladiator helmets and armor when finding her vision for the all-new . In keeping with the fighter/combatant theme, Nissan revealed the Titan Warrior Concept pickup truck at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where many will likely assume this new pickup is meant to be a Ford Raptor fighter.
From the looks of it, the off-road-modified Titan XD is as ready for an Alaskan snow adventure as it is for a top-to-bottom run of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. The Warrior Concept is meant to push the limits of the Titan XD's capabilities.
"Nissan has always pushed the boundaries of traditional automotive design and engineering, from our Nissan GT-R supercar to this new Titan XD," said Jose Munoz, Nissan Motor executive vice president and Nissan North America chairman, in a statement. "We do this with a clear conviction that there are buyers out there who appreciate something everyone else does not have. A 'work hard, play harder, get bigger' Titan XD certainly does the job."
The Titan Warrior boasts wider and more muscular side and rear body panels. The wider stance, helped by extra-wide axles and tires, is meant to deliver a more dominating, even menacing, attitude. The vents in the bulging hood and LED lights integrated into the roof are meant to provide a unique face as well as unmatched function; the vents provide extra engine cooling and the LEDs offer better night vision.
The truck has a 3-inch taller stance due to a custom suspension that incorporates thicker and wider upper and lower control arms and ball joints, as well as taller rear-leaf springs. All four corners outfitted with high-performance remote reservoir shock absorbers and 37-inch Pro Comp Xtreme mud-terrain tires with 18-inch aluminum wheels.
The matte-finish gun-metal gray Titan Warrior has an integrated front bumper and skid plate; a quad-pipe exhaust system is integrated into the rear bumper.
The upgraded and stylish interior reflects the extreme performance theme as well, showcasing dark carbon-colored seats with magma-colored orange piping and stitching details throughout. Other bright orange highlights can be seen in the dash, doors and center console. Carbon-fiber surrounds sit on each vent with liberal use of polished aluminum; a unique set of glowing data gauges sits above the center stack, giving the interior a sporty yet polished feel.
The Titan Warrior Concept was created by the same design team that gave us the Titan XD. From what we're seeing, it wouldn't take much work to turn this concept into an impressive sport package, possibly one good enough to play in the same sandbox as the Tundra TRD Pro or even the upcoming 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor with the EcoBoost engine. For now, this is just an experiment that allows the Nissan folks to gauge reaction … so react and let them know what you think.
Manufacturer images
