Nissan Takes Step Back in Full-Size Truck Market
Nissan will end production of the diesel V-8 variant of the Titan XD in December after failing to capture more than a fraction of U.S. full-size pickup sales in the first half of 2019.
Nissan will end production of the diesel-powered Titan XD pickup in December.
Photo courtesy Nissan North America
(Bobit) — Nissan has deleted the diesel-powered Titan XD pickup from its lineup as of December 2019 and will replace it with a gasoline-powered model, according to a letter sent to U.S. dealers last week. First reported by The Drive, the move comes less than four years after the 5.0-liter V-8-powered XD was introduced in late 2015 for the 2016-MY.
In the letter, Billy Hayes, division vice president of sales for Nissan North America, said the deletion will allow the factory to focus its resources on a “stronger, more focused” Titan lineup.
“We are simplifying the Titan lineup to focus our efforts on models that maximize opportunities to attract retail customers in the market for a full-size truck,” Hayes wrote, in part.
Backed by a five-year/100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, the 310-horsepower Cummins V-8-powered XD delivers 310 horsepower, 555 pound-feet of torque, and a maximum towing capacity of 12,830 pounds.
But the truck failed to help Nissan steal a significant number of customers from segment leaders Ford, Chevrolet/GMC, and Ram. Automotive News reports Nissan sold 18,026 full-size trucks in the first half of this year, earning a 1.5% market share; Ford sold 448,398 in the same period.
In his letter to dealers, Hayes promised a “dramatically refreshed” Titan will make its debut at September’s Texas State Fair.
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More Showroom
California Sees Quarterly Gains
California’s new-vehicle market saw a boost in hybrids in the third quarter and its first overall quarterly market gain of the year.
Read More →
New-Vehicle Prices Stay Put
Affordability pressures and model availability shaped new-vehicle sales in September, according to an analysis by Kelley Blue Book.
Read More →
EV Buyer Consideration Shifts
What drives American consumers to purchase an electric vehicle is shifting as the question moves away from Should I?' to 'Which features and experience do I want to have?'
Read More →
Year-to-Date Auto Sales Holding Their Own
A forecast through August shows that automakers have shifted strategies to keep deliveries and revenues up despite tariffs and other economic challenges.
Read More →
Slow to Robo
Ten years of polling consumers shows autonomous vehicles’ profiles have risen considerably, but even more people now want at least some level of control if they go that route.
Read More →
Dealers a Little Down
A third-quarter Cox Automotive survey finds them in a mixed mood, bummed by fallen customer traffic but encouraged by better profits, costs and EV interest.
Read More →
European EV Sales Skyrocket
The EV market on the continent held strong in July with almost 25% of new-car sales being fully electric units, a stark contrast to the U.S., where EV sales declined about 42%.
Read More →
Mitsubishi Unveils U.S. Plan
The automaker announced a strategy that includes an expanded lineup and dealership presence, along with more ‘rugged’ and electric models.
Read More →
Used Lots Getting the Business
Many consumers are seeking out the units to save money, and the demand – higher in July than normal – is keeping supply limited and prices up.
Read More →
Used Market Stabilizes
The Carfax Used Car Index noted a major drop in used-vehicle price increases in July after several months of hikes.
Read More →