Nissan Australia eyes bigger ute line-up

Two utes with the potential to polish the Nissan badge in Australia are being bogged-down just short of showrooms.

The hulking Titan pick-up from the US is still coming but no-one will say when, while a locally-tweaked hot rod Navara is not even confirmed.

Even so, Nissan is confident there is plenty of upside in upscale utes and hopes to create a rivalry with the HSV Silverado and RAM in the super-size segment.

“We see the opportunity for even greater levels of enhancement in the ute segment,” the managing director of Nissan Australia, Stephen Lester, tells carsales.com.au during a visit to Hong Kong.

“Customers are increasingly interested in products which are differentiate in some custom way, as a representing themselves, and the vehicle's uniqueness. I think there is a lot of room for us in that space.”

On the Titan front, Lester says there is nothing new to report even though it has been close to 18 months since Nissan’s global head of commercial vehicles, Ashwani Gupta, promised the truck for Australia.

“The story hasn’t changed much. It’s still very much on our radar locally. And we’re keeping it on the global radar,” Lester says.

“Our resolve to get it to Australia hasn’t changed. [But] there is no specific timing for us.

“There are no delays. It’s just a part of being a large company and having competing demands to bringing various products to markets around the world.”

Gupta has admitted that right-hand-drive for the Titan is a challenge, but Lester says it’s not an insurmountable problem.

“We have to do our part in constructing a business case, but I think we have got a very solid plan for it.”

Since Gupta broke his Titan news there has been considerable change in Australia, with both the HSV Silverado and RAM selling well after local right-hand drive conversions.

“I think the Titan will be a perfect fit. As the market would indicate, there is a growing appetite in that segment.

“We have explored various opportunities for bringing it to the market. I think we’ve all aligned on how to do it, in theory, and we have to work on the validation.

“There is no timeline at this stage. [But] the sooner the better. Yesterday. ASAP.”

Lester is less forthcoming on plans for a local update on the Navara to give Nissan a rival to other top-end utes including the Ford Ranger Raptor.

Believed to be in the hands of an engineering firm in Melbourne, its codename is AT32 because it picks up its direction from the Navara AT32 tough-truck created Arctic Trucks in Iceland, which comes complete with 32-inch wheels, although that is also not confirmed by Lester.

“We are constantly exploring opportunities for Navara. I’ve got nothing to confirm, at this point...,” Lester tells carsales.

“No confirmations, no denials.”

But he admits that Nissan Australia sees extra bandwidth in the Navara which could be satisfied in Australia.

“I think we’ve proven several times now with Navara that it can be very successful.”

While Nissan Australia grapples with its ute opportunities, Lester says the Japanese legal action against former company supremo Carlos Ghosn, and his recent release from custody in Japan, has not affected local operations.

“There hasn’t been any change for Nissan Australia under the leadership of Hiroto Saikawa,” Lester says.

“It has been very much business as usual. And I only see that strength continuing.

“I can’t comment, or speculate, on whether the changes at global level will have any impact. Certainly, no impact has been indicated to us.”