Nissan Announces Next Titan Will Have a Cummins
It's official: Nissan Vice President of Sales and Marketing Fred Diaz announced that the new
relationship with Cummins Inc. will begin with the next-generation Nissan Titan full-size half-ton pickup truck. Nissan has not announced whether that will be a 2015 or 2016 model, but it's good to hear news like this because it implies Nissan is serious about significantly improving the worst-selling half-ton in the U.S. marketplace.
"We have done our homework on the next-generation Titan. Truck owners told us there's a demand for the performance and torque of a diesel in a capable truck that doesn't require the jump up to a heavy-duty commercial pickup," Diaz said in a statement. "There is no question that the new Titan will turn heads, and with the available Cummins 5.0-liter V-8 turbo-diesel, we expect to win new fans and attract buyers looking for this unique configuration."
We've been reporting since May 2009 that Cummins was committed to light-duty diesel engines, whether it partnered with Ram Truck or another manufacturer. In fact, PickupTrucks.com had heard that several of the half-ton truck makers were getting ready to offer light-duty diesel options in the mid-2000s, but bankruptcies and the recession put many of those product plans on hold.
Previously, Cummins partnered with Nissan and the federal government to study the feasibility and fuel economy results of a small turbo-diesel engine in a large truck. The U.S. Department of Energy delivered the findings on the Cummins Atlas engine project in a 2012 report. The high-tech 2.8-liter inline four-cylinder was reported to offer 385 pounds-feet of torque and more than 26 mpg city/highway combined (which would likely fit in the smaller Frontier as well).
Nissan did not offer many details about the new partnership; however, the engine slated for the new Titan will not be the smaller four-cylinder, but the completely new, much bigger light-duty diesel 5.0-liter V-8, with another version slated for the commercial market. By our calculations, given what Cummins has been doing with new smaller and smarter variable-fin turbochargers, we'd guess the torque ratings could be somewhere in the 550 pounds-feet range and horsepower more than 300.
For the full press release on the Nissan/Cummins partnership, click here.
Comments
About time. Maybe too late.
Yay! Totally stoked about this plan.
Wow - Nissan just took a giant step forward. The Ram 1500's diesel will be nice, but it won't be a 5.0L stump puller.
What's more, it looks like the Frontier could be getting a small diesel too. That's going to strike right at the heart of the Ram's fuel efficiency move (Nissan and Ram are cross-shopped pretty heavily from what I recall).
I also have been told that the new Colorado will be getting a diesel, and GM's mysterious promises of a "mid-model update" would seem to open the possibility of a diesel.
Thus, GM, Ram, and Nissan will be doing the diesel thing while Ford and Toyota sit on the sidelines. Either Ford and Toyota know something everyone else doesn't, or they're officially behind the diesel curve.
It's going to be interesting...
This is quite shocking, actually. Way to throw down the gauntlet, Nissan. Hope this "inspires" the other automakers to follow suit. We need more diesel options in half ton trucks.
Ram is in deep trouble.
Cool. Here come the light duty diesels. I expect Ford to be next with GM to follow. Being a Ram fan I had hoped they would have kept the Cummins in the half tons, but either way glad they have a diesel coming. Should be a major boost to Nissan.
WOW......the plot thickens with Nissan looking to kick some serious butt.Meanwhile,GM said that WE don't need a diesel half ton.So much for their thinking,or more accurately,their LACK of thinking.This is going to get nothing but better for us,and I might add,it's about damn time too.
Uh-oh!!!! The diesel war go into overdrive! That engine suppose to go in the RAM!
It's only going to be a contender if the price is right.
@ Dave – don’t count RAM out...remember Ford promised the “MyTouch” system and it won’t even get close to my package! Who knows if the Titan will really get people cummings.
Still, for 10-15K diesel, I'd rather something for my whole family. I used to drag race a Towmater Trike with wheelie bars, lowered suspension and Avenir Dual Action Bell. It was good on gas at all speeds. It cost me 95 used and the mods cost next to nothing. My buddy's KX500 with wheelie bars ran 11.8 at IIRC 114 mph. It was really hard to keep up, mind you, I was 60 lb bigger than he was. It was fun pissing of the Harley "ego" types on their 40K bikes. Never figured out why they always looked at me so strangely.
That sounded kinda like a "Booyah!" aimed right at RAM after they reneged on their truck development plans...
I would expect that the new Titan would have one hell of a beefed up front suspension and frame architecture for the 5.0L Cummins. Look forward to seeing what the new Titan is all about.
I wonder if the same thing will happened to Nissan as it did to Dodge back in 1989 when the decided to go with a Cummins in its 3/4 and 1-ton pickups? Its hard to think of a Dodge without a Cummins Diesel, but then again Cummins throws their engines in everything from Ford dump trucks to Kenworths to loaders. The Nissan will just be another platform to strap on to the Cummins. Its a good thing for Cummins, its a good thing for pickup buyers, and a good thing for Nissan. Wish it was a Dodge though. But I think I'll like the VM Diesel too.
Wish that would have gone into the Ram, oh well. The VM should still be adequate for a 1/2 ton, and the 5.0 isn't much smaller than the earlier Cummins. The 5.0 would turn it into more of a "heavy half", or could probably have even been used in an HD. Nissan needs it more, but still dissapointing that Ram is using somethin other than a Cummins and a Japanese truck gets it.
Looks like GM will be starting their Tonawanda, New York, plant back up where the 4.5L Duramax is. Looks like Ford is screwed they stuff all their eggs in the piece of junk eco bust basket, now its gonna bit them in the A*&. All GM has to do it make sure the 4.5L still passes the Emissions rules.
Wonder what the power figures will be on the 5.0L Cummins?
Fred Diaz just stuck a knife in the back of Sergio Marchionne.
I have taken a wait and see approach on my next pickup. I know it will not be until all the new models are out before I actually buy one. I have always been a Ford man but always have to buy a SD to get the two things I want. A diesel and a long bed. I can sacrifice the long bed with the new fifth wheel camper I just bought but I still like having the diesel for the torque and power, not to mention the extra fuel economy. I have always said the first manufacture that builds a nice half ton diesel would get my money. I really didn't want to buy an Italian built diesel so it looks like this might do it for me. Hopefully by then Ford will gets its a** out of its head and have that 4.4L or equivalent ready to go. I would not be surprise since they have some time if this is one of those new diesels that will not have to have that DPF BS.
It was Cummins that save Dodge trucks from extinction, so who knows? But it was a different time and those were 3/4 tons and dualies. But I smell HD pickups in Nissan's future. There's already 2500 and 3500 series NV vans on Titan chassis'.
My Ram 3500 with 6.7L Cummins diesel has 103k trouble-free miles on it. If I ever go back to a half-ton I will definitely look at trucks with Cummins diesel first, then other diesels second.
"Wow - Nissan just took a giant step forward. The Ram 1500's diesel will be nice, but it won't be a 5.0L stump puller."
Didn't know Rams 420 ft pounds (@2000 rpm) wouldn't get it done? If it doesn't, there is the 6.7 in a 2500 which will do what this one can't.
Anything 420 foot pounds can't handle, maybe you need a bigger truck anyway?
Ram passed on this idea for a reason.
420 foot pounds works good for Ecoboost, althouth how long it will last being an aluminum block is questionable. The Ecoboost mileage towing aint that great. The Ram 8 speed diesel is realistically rated to tow, unlike Ford and GM who must have junior high kids making up towing numbers as they go.
Now we're talkin
@Denver mike, I thought you got schooled on this very topic. You have the memory of a nat. The big rig styling of 1994 is what jumped Dodge truck sales. LOOK IT UP DIP $#!^
LOL so when do the other guys begin shoehorning their HD diesels into halftons for damage control?
Chrysler (Fiat?) is really going to regret loosing Fred Diaz.
As long as it's not a $10,000 option and they put a STOUT transmission behind it, AND strong axle, AND assuming the rest of the truck is a SIGNIFICANT upgrade over the existing Titan.......it could be a game-changer.
Fantastic. There will be sales of this for the people who don't want a HD but tow a lot. I don't think there will be many 1/2 ton gas V8s that a diesel Titan will out perform.
All of the work on the ISF will go to waste, unless it was adapted for the V8 and the little ISF goes into the Frontier.
I would think the hp and torque figures would be about 350hp and 550ftlb or torque. I would like to see the FE on this.
Ram missed out big time, They would be selling the heck out of a 1500 Cummins Diesel.. People dont want an Italian diesel they have never heard of, they want and American Diesel with a solid reputation.
@ DenverMike
I think you're on the right track re: HD's...all of Nissan's moves in the truck market lately make a lot more sense when their forays into commercial vehicles are kept in mind for context.
The 5.0 V8 simultaneously gives them two things - one of the most desirable high performance engines in the 1/2 ton market - and secondly and an engine applicable to the commercial vans and future HD trucks that is more than capable enough while offering improved fuel economy over today's 6.6 and 6.7L monsters, and I don't think that is a coincidence.
Nissan is zigging where others are zagging, and I think Toyota is going to end up looking dumb for it..
This is awsome news, can't wait to see the final specs and MPG ratings.
Meanwhile, Toyota is still bragging about their name stamped in the tailgate and 7 year old 5.7.
Meanwhile, Toyota is still bragging about Tundra being name stamped into the tailgate and their 7 year old 5.7.
This is great, now I also want a Cummins in the Y62 Patrol, nonsense from Nissan to offer it only with a petrol engine...
5.0 makes me wonder if the 1500 Ram's 3.0 will prove too small and underpowered...
Ram missed out big time, They would be selling the heck out of a 1500 Cummins Diesel.. People dont want an Italian diesel they have never heard of, they want and American Diesel with a solid reputation.
Posted by: LS1POWERED | Aug 20, 2013 2:20:46 PM
Ford, Chevy, Toyota are the ones that missed out. Ram is first to market with a halfton diesel. Once again they will copy Ram.
More fake posts under my name.
Cummins might work the same magic on Titan that they did for Dodge.
Will Ram go completely to VM Motori diesels? That will be the question of the future.
Cummins and Nissan did a good job of keeping this engine under wraps as there weren't much about it on the internet rumour mill.
I had the I-4 pegged as being the engine choice for the Titan.
looks like Big Al was right in his prognostications. The diesels are coming, the diesels are coming.
Disappointing!
There is nothing ground breaking about a v8 diesel.
This is not a gas saving small diesel that a lot of us asked for.
I don't want some large diesel that is noisy and smelly. I might be interested in a small 2.0 liter 4cyl diesel but even that needs to be phased out in favor of PHEVs.
This is probably just another diesel tease but if it isn't, that's really disappointing news.
The biggest obstacle for Nissan in the heavy duty market is its survice bays. Right now you have to go to specified Nissan dealers to have an NV Van worked on as the dealers don't all have the proper lifts and service bays to handle anything bigger then a half ton truck.
GM, Ford and Toyota all have 4.5 liter V8 diesels available, this will be an interesting blattle.
Nice work Nissan! The Titan needs a lot morre than an awesome engine to be competive again. Hopefully they'll engineer a stout 8spd transmission and a Dana 60 rear axle.
The problem with the strategy that Nissan is choosing is......it won't get the mileage that a 3.0L Diesel in a Ram 1500 will, it will have a big price premium of 6-7K most likely, and wont have the chassis/driveline to stand up to the engine. So it will probably cost as much as the Big 3 HD 2500 trucks and not have as much capability, HP, torque, etc. Doesn't sound like a good maketing strategy to me, but we will have to see what happens.
There is a reason Ram went with the 3.0L instead of this engine in a 1500 series truck. I am sure Ram had first crack at it since it was developed with Cummins and Ram prior to the bankruptcy.
What transmission?
Why even bother with diesels anymore when you have 9/10 speed automatics?
great for nissan pickup great brand and great engine great
NISSAN go go go!!!
@ warfish where do you get your information? How do you know it wont have the chassis/driveline to stand up to this engine?
Obviously it's not a direct competitor with the 3.0 or they'd have on with a 2.4L
Be happy there is More choice on the market.
@Pecae It will be we warmly received here as great replacement for the Y61 Patrol we get both Nissan Patrols here.
About time Nissan got serious! I would think the 5.0 V8 Cummins would also work nicely in the Patrol/QX56. Also a 5.0 V8 diesel should be putting out around 400 HP / 700 lb-ft. Not saying that's what they will tune it at, but that's where it should be.
Disappointing!
There is nothing ground breaking about a v8 diesel.
This is not a gas saving small diesel that a lot of us asked for.
I don't want some large diesel that is noisy and smelly. I might be interested in a small 2.0 liter 4cyl diesel but even that needs to be phased out in favor of PHEVs.
This is probably just another diesel tease but if it isn't, that's really disappointing news.
Posted by: MaXx | Aug 20, 2013 2:57:00 PM
MaXx all I can say is you must not be following diesels to much these days. The big 6 liter diesels that all of the Big 3 are using are not noisy or smelly. In fact that new 6.7 that Ford has is pretty darn quiet. Non of them are smelly or smokey unless someone uses an aftermarket chip in them. I am taking a shot in the dark here but I honestly think 4 to 5 liters is the ideal range for a half ton. 2 to 3 will be to little. The torque will be there but the horsepower will not. Add a trailer or some weight and these little motors will be overworked for the job at hand. I see it all the time with the bigger trucks I drive. If I drive a 24' box truck with a Cummins or a Detroit they get better fuel mileage with more horsepower vs say an International with a Maxxforce even though those motors tend to be smaller in displacement and have less horsepower. The motors are simply overworked and under powered so they end up burning more fuel. I think this motor will be a winner as long as Nissan does right on their end and build a solid truck around it.
Just wondering if it will have the cummins "C" on the fender like the ram?
@Lou
This the beginning. More will come, slowly at first, then the hordes will arrive:) Gotta' love diesel:) Best engines around.
I'm still curious about Ford's intentions in the diesel arena. I'm hoping the 3.2 Duratorque will be offered.
A year ago or so I stated the US pickup market is heading for some real changes.
@Robert Ryan
Nissan have the Patrol chassis to drop this diesel on. The new Patrol chassis I bet will be the basis for the new Titan.
It will be marginally wider.
I think a 5 litre diesel 1/2 ton will create a niche market. Sort of similar to how the Dakota's started out with the midsizers.
To those who don't want a HD for their day to day lives (but a diesel) and a 5 litre V8 diesel might provide some real decent towing capacity for a 1/2 ton pickup.
Remember, CAFE is forcing pickups to increase in size to almost what a HD is.
I think this might be a very clever move by Nissan.
I don't know what happened to the ISF 2.8 4 cyl diesel. I wonder if it will still be offered but as a Ram competitor.
@DM--I think you are correct, Nissan could very well plan on entering the HD market with the inclusion of this diesel and with their new vans. I would like to see Nissan succeed, this would be good for all of us whether we prefer diesel or gas. Fred Diaz appears to be shaking things up at Nissan trucks.
They won't be overworked, they just won't pull massive trailers at 75 miles per hour up the I-70. They will pull them just fine, and the motors will be ok afterwards, they just won't win races doing it.
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