LexFather

Even in a down pickup truck market, the all-new Dodge Ram should be a boon to Chrysler and not just because it's a far better truck than the one it replaces. The new Ram will also be the next Nissan Titan, a deal that helps Chrysler keep its truck factories running closer to maximum capacity. With Nissan borrowing Ram mechanicals and engineering, the assumption has been that Chrysler's 5.7L HEMI V8 was going to be part of the package. Nissan officials have continually denied that any decision about the truck's engine of choice has yet to be made and that its own Evolution 5.6L powerplant was still under consideration.

Chrysler chairman Jim Press put any speculation to rest when he declared at an LA Motor Guild meeting recently that the Nissan Titan would indeed receive HEMI power. After our friend Mike Levine from Pickuptrucks.com broke the news, Nissan responded by saying that it has made no decisions concerning the HEMI engine and when it does, the announcement would come from Nissan. It makes sense that the next Titan would be HEMI-fied, especially considering that the engineering needed to mate the HEMI and Ram platform has already been done and paid for, and part logistics are already in sync with truck assembly. Plus, the new HEMI produces a class-leading 390 horsepower and gets decent fuel economy for a big, burly truck engine. Nissan could do much worse.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/c...o-get-hemified

Stage3

iTrader: (3)

I'm actually rather hesitant about this... The current Nissan Titan is an AWESOME truck... I've driven one more than a few times and it drive and feels unlike any other truck on the road (including the Tundra). The Titan has a smooth and non-squishy ride unlike just about every other truck out there. It has a lot of benefits OVER a lot of the other trucks out there... especially the Ram. The Rams back seat couldn't be more uncomfortable (not including the Super King)... Being 6'2" I'm usually the bar to set for picking a vehicle in our family. I remember the first and only time I got into the back seat of a Ram Quad Cab... I couldn't get the door to close because my legs would not fit in the back seat leg room. On the other hand, the titan Quad Cab had more than ample space for my legs and I was actually comfortable sitting back there.

I know this is a financial move for both companies... but I think it's a big mistake as the CURRENT Titan is a far superior truck than the CURRENT Ram.

Threxx

The Titan was the WORST full size truck on the market IMO.

Cheap poorly made interior, by far the weakest frame (I remember once reading an engineer that tested them and determined that the Titan's frame was about equally as strong as the Silverado made THREE generations ago... like back in the mid 90s) and rear end on the market, iffy reliability, etc.

The only good point to the Titan was it had a pretty nice engine. Nissan makes good V8s. And despite all of the hoopla over the Hemi V8... while it is powerful, I don't think it's as good of an engine durability wise.

LexFather

I thought I wrote that, I agree.

pagemaster

I agree. The Titan is an ok truck at best if bought with a hefty discount.

The Ram will be a hit out of the gate. Toyota better upgrade the interior and features of the Tundra.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Regardless, the Titan has sold like ebola so it seems like a smart move for Nissan. Ram trucks are proven, solid, reliable, manly.

LexFather

There are A LOT of people that like ebola bit looking at how well some past offerings and current ones sell.

<VENOM>

Should be interesting to see how this will effect the Armada and QX56, they drive great and way better then the Domestic offerings, please no rebadged Durangos or Aspens but the Hybrid Hemi would be awesome.

I think Nissan will outsell Toyota when the Hemi Titans hit the dealers, it's a smart move and it's exactly why so many Ford and GM pickups are sold, large availability and configuration, I want a black truck with a plow and a box now, today not 6 weeks from today and I want a sweet deal no dealer BS cause it's a Toyota I have to pay more

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

The current Titan's sold well? I confess not knowing the numbers...

LexFather

cough, last gen Altima, cough, Senta, cough, Frontier, cough, Xterra, cough, Versa, cough...last gen Maxima, cough....Armada, cough cough.....