Nissan entering Texas full-size pickup market

Sept. 29, 2003
Full-size trucks are serious business in Texas, and the next big thing is here. As Nissan North America (NNA) launches the all-new 2004 Titan in Texas
Full-size trucks are serious business in Texas, and the next big thing is here. As Nissan North America (NNA) launches the all-new 2004 Titan in Texas on Sept. 25 at the State Fair, the company is taking its first-ever full-size truck into America's heartland of trucks. "To say that Texas is important to Nissan would be a huge understatement," said John Spoon, regional vice president, Nissan North America. "Texas boasts almost 20 percent of U.S. truck sales, making it one of the world's most competitive truck markets and historically dominated by domestic manufacturers." The importance of Texas to Nissan is evident by the amount of money and time the company has committed to this key market. Nissan has made a significant investment into research over the past several months to better understand the Texas demographic and target market. Other dedicated efforts include retrofitting several of its 60 dealerships in Texas and redesigning showrooms to accommodate the full-size trucks. Dealers are also hiring additional staff and training new sales teams. "With the addition of Titan and Pathfinder Armada, we have expanded the Nissan brand to be a true full-line auto manufacturer," added Spoon. "We are making sure our dealers are well-prepared to sell, service and talk big trucks. This is new for Nissan, but we're going in with the right artillery." The Titan is built on an all-new full-length boxed ladder frame, featuring a newly designed Nissan Endurance 5.6-liter DOHC V8 with 305 horsepower and 379 lb-ft of torque, controlled by a standard 5-speed automatic transmission. The Titan is available in King Cab and Crew Cab models with choice of 2-wheel and 4-wheel drive.