2016 Nissan Titan XD Diesel Half-ton Rumbles Detroit Auto Show

The 2016 Nissan Titan Diesel, now called the Titan XD, unveiled at the North American International Auto Show to an eager crowd of journalists. Torque News was front and center.

This long-awaited pickup heralds the second-generation of the Nissan Titan full-size truck. A completely new design that is focused on work truck capabilities. On stage was the Nissan Titan XD Crew Cab, the biggest and most powerful of the model lineup. Nissan plans to offer three cab sizes (King and Standard being the others) and a V8 and surprise V6 gasoline option alongside this massive eight-cylinder diesel. All in 4x4 and 4x2 drivetrains. This shows that Nissan is serious about hitting the truck market with the pedal on the floor.

The focus today, however, is on the big XD with its phenomenally powerful Cummins diesel engine. The big 5.0-liter V8 oil burner outputs 310 horsepower and a mind-boggling 555 lb-ft of torque. This runs through a proven 6-speed Aisin automatic.

If you can wrap your mind around it, the new Titan has a tow rating of 12,000 pounds and a payload capacity of 2,000 pounds. To make that possible, some engineering had to be done.

The new dimensions of the Titan XD are massive. The wheelbase is 151.6 inches while length and width are 242.9 and 79.4 inches. Those are big gains over the 2015 Titan, which stands at 139.8, 224.6, and 79.5. We had predicted some size gain, but not this much. We will have more engineering specs for the new Titan XD in a follow-on article soon, along with more photos.

As for the interior and technology, Nissan is throwing its repertoire at the Titan XD. Zero Gravity seating is available for both the front and, in the Crew Cab, rear rows. A supplemental cabin heater for the diesel is offered, as is NissanConnect with Navigation, Mobile Apps, etc. Plus, get this, Nissan's AroundView 360-degree parking with a few cool tweaks for trailering. Speaking of trailers, a new Trailer Light Check setup to allow one-person hooking and lighting tests will also be available. So will an optional integrated trailer hitch for goosenecks. Along with sway control, of course.

In all, Nissan has managed to really curve a ball into the full-sized truck arena with the new Titan XD diesel. We will have more, as well as photos from the reveal, soon.