Today’s question is about the fate of a concept truck, the Nissan Titan Warrior.
Ever since Nissan unveiled the Warrior Concept at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, there has been lots of consumer interest based on how many e-mails we have recieved here at TFL about it.
And here is the latest from reader Tou Vang:
I see you guys talk about the Nissan Titan XD Warrior, now does Nissan have a actual release date, or if this concept is actually gonna come out the way it looks? I know they definitely have competition with Ford Raptor, and Dodge [sic]
.
Just like to know if you guys knew any updates in regards to the warrior. Thank you.
Thanks for the question!
We don’t have any insider info on this from Nissan, but we can take a look at some factors and make an educated guess on the fate of the Warrior. First of all, what is the Warrior?
The concept stands three inches taller than the Titan XD it is based on and sits six-inches wider. It is meant to be an off-road special with a desert pre-runner look riding on 37-inch tires.
ALSO SEE: Should European Nissan Navara Off-Roader AT32 Become the Next Frontier PRO-4X Warrior?
If it is produced, the Warrior would take on the Ram Rebel, Ford Raptor and other similar packages on the pickup truck market. But will it be built?
Or best guess is probably not. The Titan does already has the PRO-4X package for off-roading, though that isn’t a true competitor to a truck like the Raptor. And the problem with the Titan is, it hasn’t been selling all that well in 2018. As of November, the truck is down 4.3 percent year-over-year, not the most promising sign considering the Titan was all-new just a year ago.
If Nissan was selling a pile of Titans, the brand might think it a prudent business move to introduce a new off-road model to capitalize on the interest, but with Titans not moving as the brand might have hoped, the Warrior is probably much too expensive to develop for no guarantee of return.
The other factor to consider is the new Frontier. We have heard a new Nissan Frontier is coming in the next year or two, and if you look at the dollars and cents, the midsize market is the place to be right now to make some big bucks. So if Nissan is smart, and automakers usually are, it will invest its time and money into the new Frontier to make sure it is ready to take on the new Ranger, Chevy Colorado and perennial best-seller Toyota Tacoma.
So, while anything is possible, we don’t see the Titan Warrior hitting the market anytime soon.
