Nissan considering Titan expansion

Nissan could beat brands like Ford and RAM to be the first brand to have a factory full-size pick-up on sale Down Under.

And that's coming from the top.

Ashwani Gupta, the global head of the Renault Nissan Alliance LCV division, has nominated Australia as one of the key destinations for the expansion.

Speaking to Aussie media in Tokyo overnight, Gupta said Nissan was studying the expansion of the Titan's footprint to markets outside the USA.

"Truck lovers love trucks. If they love a one-tonner they will love a full-size truck," he quipped.

Gupta stated that the LCV group, which includes responsibilities for vehicles like the Nissan Patrol, Mitsubishi Triton and Renault vans, was looking at opportunities in all of the 135 markets in which the Navara ute is currently sold.

But he sees real potential for the big Texan-built Titan Down Under, where full-size US pick-ups like the RAM, Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Tundra have long been imported and converted to right-hand drive by a number of aftermarket outfits.

"Clearly we see customers are evolving from one-tonne [pick-ups] to full-size. Right now we are studying when and how," he stated.

"We can't give you timing right now," he said.

Gupta says the target customers for pick-ups are "passionate".

"Not only are they passionate for function but emotional functionality. They definitely have a passion for full size," he opined.

Nissan Australia is yet to confirm its participation in the Titan study.