(January 12, 2016) DETROIT — Nissan put an exclamation point on the start of sales of its all-new 2016 Titan XD by unveiling a super-sized, off-road modified design study it calls the Titan Warrior Concept. Nissan Design America (NDA) took the Titan XD's production design to new extremes with unapologetic, aggressive, athletic styling features that declare the concept's off-road adventure intent and Nissan's optimism for the truck market.

"Truck buyers have a seemingly insatiable appetite for more content and more unique offerings," said José Muñoz, executive vice president, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and chairman, Nissan North America, Inc. "Even though our all-new 2016 Titan XD just started arriving at Nissan dealers nationwide last month, we are already exploring new territory where Titan might go in the future."

Just as the all-new Titan XD with its Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel engine has bulked up the standards for customers shopping the light-duty pickup class, the Titan Warrior Concept was created to take the production version to the extreme.



"Nissan has always pushed the boundaries of traditional automotive design and engineering, from our Nissan GT-R supercar to the new Titan XD," explained Muñoz. "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 Concept builds on the recent Project Titan, a crowd-sourced customization of an original-generation Titan that sent two U.S. military veterans representing Wounded Warrior Project on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in Alaska. The new concept truck also pays homage to Nissan's heritage of off-road racing and adventuring, which goes back to the days of Baja "Hardbody" competition pickups and Paris-Dakar Rally treks.

"As we launch the all-new 2016 Titan XD, the Titan Warrior Concept was conceived to share our team's pride and excitement to be back in the truck market in a big way," added Muñoz. "The team delivered."

The Titan Warrior Concept creators had more than a strong foundation on which to build their vision of a bold and expanding future in the full-size pickup market, they had a familiar one.

As part of the group that brought the "American Titan" to life — a group that ranged from Tennessee, Michigan, Mississippi, Indiana, Arizona and California – the design team imagined how their original Titan design, inspired by warriors in ancient Greek mythology, might evolve to extreme levels of adventure duty.

First, while maintaining the Titan XD Crew Cab's standard wheelbase and length, they wanted to give the concept truck an even more powerful presence than the original. The height was raised nearly three inches, from 78.7 inches to 81.5 inches, to fit a quartet of 37-inch tall off-road tires mounted on custom 18x9.5-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. The wheels' machined aluminum surfaces feature a dark matte finish and continue the production Titan XD's "precision tool" design theme.

To create clearance for the new oversize tires and accommodate the new, long-travel suspension, the Titan Warrior Concept's width was extended three inches on each side, from 80.6 inches total to 86.6 inches. Once the dimensions and imposing stance were mapped out, the extreme makeover began in earnest.

Building on the new second-generation Titan's warrior-inspired styling, the designers amplified the protective look of the production exterior. Designating the new look as "modern armor" – with a stealthy, robotic quality – they continued the anatomical feel of the production Titan, but added a more machine-like, sharper-edge appearance.

The grille and signature Titan headlights were enhanced to offer a more technical, menacing look. The front and rear fenders have been flared and offer an extremely muscular appearance. Functional hood vents were added for cooling the powerful diesel engine. The broad hoodline is balanced underneath by the large front skidplate, which interlocks into the powerful front bumper.

Custom LED lights, front and rear, add to the Titan Warrior Concept's stealthy presence. The headlights carry a sense of the new Nissan signature boomerang lights, but with a more precise, upright, robotic feel. In the rear, the integrated LED taillights take the form of a Titan "T" logo, split by the wide tailgate. As a finishing touch, a quad-tipped exhaust system is integrated into the rear bumper.

Despite its massive bulk, Titan Warrior Concept adds several aerodynamic elements, including carbon fiber rear cab spoiler and tailgate spoilers. Additional unique body elements include integrated, roof-mounted LED off-road lights.

The Titan Warrior Concept is covered in a custom matte-gunmetal paint called "Thunder" and accented in special "Magma" orange and black color highlights.

"There's a sense to the exterior design that the Titan Warrior Concept could drive right off the auto show stage and retrace the historic route of Nissan's off-road racing victories in the Baja Peninsula," said Muñoz. "And given the high-torque Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel, extensive suspension modifications and Titan XD heavy-duty durability, it certainly could."