Nissan Navara Concept ute busts out

It may not be the Nissan Navara Raptor fighter that's under consideration, but the latest concept ute and a production-ready special edition from Nissan shows there's a burning desire within the company to push the pick-up boundaries.

The bold Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept and Navara N-Guard utes were revealed at the Hannover truck show in Germany overnight, as the company announced its plans to offer more "conversions" for its ute range in future.

The Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept is for mad-keen astronomers and comes with a custom trailer that moonlights as a micro observatory.

The design also sheds light on how the company could craft a tough new look for the current generation: The Navara Dark Sky Concept's new-look front end is equal parts sporty and rugged thanks to a bold new front bumper design that incorporates a bash plate and winch.

Pumped wheel arches, lift kit, big alloys wheels and off-road tyres complete the tough truck look while an aerodynamic LED light bar at the front joins roof rails that morph into a sleek rear sports bar.

Although it may not be badged as Ford Ranger Raptor rival at this stage, the availability of a Mercedes-Benz V6 turbo-diesel engine from the X-Class ute and some heavy-duty shocks would be all it needs to create a potent rival to the Ranger Raptor.

The interior features an upmarket fitout with plenty of leather and overt orange stitching that may raise the eyebrows of a few Ford Ranger Raptor owners too. The rear tray of the concept ute has also been given a workover and although it looks cool, the plastic cladding and roller rails narrow its practicality.

Power for the tough-looking truck comes from Nissan's 2.3-litre twin turbo-diesel engine that pumps 140kW/450Nm through a seven-speed automatic.

That should be enough grunt to drag the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept's trailer around, which was co-developed with European Space Agency or ESA. Packing a potent PlaneWave telescope housed within a specially refrigerated atmosphere to ensure optimum calibration and stability, complete with a powered retractable roof and a 400mm mirror, stargazers will be stoked.

Both the trailer and the Navara concept feature portable EV battery packs using technology fron the Nissan LEAF EV, designed to ensure everything remains operational even when the diesel engine's turned off.

The celestial Nissan Navara concept also gets boosted Wi-Fi, UHF radio and a laptop station to transmit crucial data, such as the impending arrival of massive asteroid. The latest adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assistance systems, or ProPILOT, have also been integrated into the Navara.

Ashwani Gupta, senior vice president of Nissan's Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) business unit – and the man who wants to bring a Ford Ranger Raptor rival to Australia – said the new concept shows what Nissan can do to meet the growing demand for high-end utes.

"The tough pickup trucks on display are the perfect embodiment of Nissan's dedication to excellence in conversions. Powered by Nissan Intelligent Mobility and including ProPILOT, the incredible versatility of each vehicle allows us to go above and beyond to support any business need and serve as an authentic partner for our customers."

The other vehicle making its debut at the Hannover truck show is the Nissan Navara N-Guard, "a tough and stylish special version" of the ute that hasn't yet been confirmed for Australia.

"While it is not currently available in Australia, it is definitely a vehicle that we would like to offer to our customers in the future," said Tony Mee, Nissan Australia's corporate communications manager.

The new Navara N-Guard gets new stuff inside and out which is designed for customers "who want a superior pickup for off-road adventures," according to the press statement.

It features a murdered-out look with black mirrors, front grille, door handles, fog lamp nacelles and rear bumper. Riding on 18-inch alloy wheels – black, naturally – the Navara N-Guard also gets tinted windows, dark headlights and a sunroof.

It's offered in grey, black and white and features a sticker pack. The pick-up can also be optioned with the Off-Roader AT32 pack, which adds 'performance' suspension that jacks up the ride height by 20mm and adds big 32-inch tyres and underbody protection. Adventurous individuals will also appreciate the fitment of a snorkel that enhances water fording depth.

The interior of the G-Guard features new-look leather seats in with a grey and yellow motif, yellow stitching and matching floor mats and door inserts.

With Nissan going ute crazy it begs the question, is there still room in Australia for the Nissan Titan pick-up from the USA?