In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- Do you think we’ll see a return of the Nissan Titan?
- Jeep! What the hell?
The first question comes from a Nissan fan who wants to know if the Nissan Titan will come back into production, in some way.
Q: (Via Twitter/X @NathanAdlen): My 2011 Nissan Titan has almost 200,000 miles and drives like a rock star.
I was thinking about Nissan reusing the name Titan if they ever bring back their big trucks. Or maybe if the Titan could come back in name as maybe a electric pickup or some thing like that? I hope Nissan keeps building trucks because I have been lucky with three Nissan trucks over 30 years.
- N3CHO 89
A: I would love to see Nissan bring back a Titan, but reality is cruel.
Honestly, it’s doubtful. I’m not too sure the higher ups at Nissan consider the Titan a name of a fondly missed truck. Sure, Andre and I liked it, and I almost bought one, but its limitations kept it from ever being a true competitor. In the end, the sales numbers were abysmal, and the Titan name became hushed.
Could they simply use the name and paste it on the side of an electric, or PHEV pickup truck? Sure, but why? Nissan has plenty of other names they could bring back, and some might be more meaningful.
Sorry man, I ‘ll miss the Titan too – but I think it’s danced its last dance.
– N
The last question comes from an angry Jeep owner.
Q: (RE: Jeep did WHAT!?)
I’ll be 40 in a month and I have already owned a dozen Jeeps. Love the brand but I’m getting fed up with some of their decisions. Why are they killing off the 8 speed in the V6? That makes like NO SENSE! Isn’t it usually the other way when they decide to get rid of the manual transmission? And like they even want to push the turbo 4 on people that hate turbos! What is in their tea man?
I don’t get why their best transmission is not paired with their best engine. Explain this to me!
– Hello from Ashville!
A: Hi
Yeah. I wasn’t expecting it to go that way. Like you, I figured it would be less expensive, and easier for Jeep/Stellantis to ditch the manual transmission altogether. Editor Zach posted (this) article, and considered the possibility that they might want more consumers to buy turbos and hybrids.
I find it difficult to completely understand this rationale, considering where Jeep sales have gone. It’s even more baffling that anyone who can’t (or doesn’t want to) row their own gears has to pay an additional $2,000 to get the turbo, which comes with the eight-speed auto. I hate to say it, but it’s almost like they are trying to make it difficult for customers.
It’s possible that the decision was based on manufacturing, emission, or simple belt tightening. In addition, the Pentastar V6 is getting up there in age. I doubt the I6 twin-turbo will make an appearance in this generation Jeep, but that’s always a possibility.
I’m curious: what do you think they have in store for the Jeep Gladiator’s powertrain?
- N
