Nissan's "Project Titan" Asks Truck Enthusiasts To Help Build First Crowd-Sourced Pickup

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Nissan's full-size Titan pickup will become the automaker's next crowd-sourced project vehicle. Nissan made the announcement today during a special media event at the 2014 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show and Conference in Las Vegas.  The 2014 Nissan Titan, which combines aggressive looks, extraordinary power and off-road athleticism, continues to be a leader in the full-size truck segment.

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Fueled by social media, Project Titan fans will build the ultimate off-road capable truck equipped with customized features designed to conquer extreme terrain. To help determine the adventure that Titan will tackle, Nissan is engaging shooting, hunting and outdoor journalists by asking them to submit their "ultimate outdoor adventure" via Twitter or video. As the second installment in Nissan's project vehicle series, Project Titan will build upon the success of its predecessor, Project 370Z.

"Nissan is invested in designing the most innovative trucks ever. Projects like this allow us to gather input directly from industry leading media members and those companies that embrace an outdoor lifestyle in their work and play, helping us deliver trucks that buyers want to own," said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales and Marketing, Parts and Service in the U.S. "There is no better place to debut Project Titan than the SHOT Show."   

Following the announcement, more than 2,500 journalists were invited to participate in the first phase of Project Titan by submitting a video or tweeting using #ProjectTitan to tell Nissan which ultimate adventure to select for Project Titan.  Whether four wheeling across the Baja, hunting big game in Alaska or fishing for steelhead in Idaho, the Project Titan will be modified to meet the most challenging conditions.  

In the months to come, additional project phases will roll out and be communicated via the @NissanTrucks Twitter and Facebook page including production of the radically enhanced pickup. A final phase will involve putting a veteran, who has been injured in the line of duty, behind the wheel of the Project Titan to embark on his or her own adventure. With that veteran will be an outdoor oriented journalist who will ride along during the journey.

As Nissan continues the development of its next-generation Titan full-size pickup, the automaker is gathering insight from the people who know trucks well, and Project Titan builds on previous efforts to talk to the people who best understand what truck buyers really want.

To close out the summer of 2013, Nissan product planners and marketing professionals put Titan's durability to the test on the trails and mountains of Boise, Idaho. Later that fall, a group of outdoor media put Titan's capability to the test in the "gumbo mud" of southeast Texas. As expected, the Titan's capability, reliability and durability were evident.

Announced at Nissan 360 late last year, the next-generation Nissan Titan truck will be equipped with an optional Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel engine. With a torque rating in the mid-500s (lb-ft) and more than 300 horsepower, the Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel will provide light truck customers with a combination of towing capacity and mileage that is currently unavailable to customers in the segment.

"The next-generation Titan is well-positioned to be a major contender in the full-size pickup truck market and buyers will be impressed with what we have planned," added Diaz.

Follow Project Titan at Facebook.com/NissanTrucks or @NissanTrucks on Twitter.

About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011, and 2012 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the Americas media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 248,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4.8 million vehicles in 2011, generating revenue of 9.4 trillion yen ($118.95 billion US). With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of 64 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero-emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades, including the prestigious 2011-2012 Car of the Year Japan and 2011 World Car of the Year awards.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

SOURCE Nissan