The new Motor Trend, I think it is the Aug. 03 issue, has a first drive of the new F-150 with good pics, the very next article is the Nissan Titan. Good Read.

 

Personally I think that the Titan is the ugliest truck I have ever seen. Looks like something from the movie Minority Report.

Just my opinion...

 

I think the side by side is to show people the right way and the wrong way to make a truck.

 

LOL! I don't know what's up with Nissan lately. Man, they ruined the looks of every redesigned vehicle they've put out recently. The new nissan designs actually make the HONDA ELEMENT look normal ( o_0 )

FORD TRUCKS FOREVER!

2004 F-150 the competition....

 

I agree, the Nissan Titan is an absolute monstrosity. I mean... honestly, what are their designers thinking?

Its motivation, however, is what's going to be its selling point. A standard 5.6-liter V-8 producing 350 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque complete with VCT is awesome! I hate to say it, but Ford had better already be looking into ways to "coerce" (for lack of a better verb) more power out of their new 3V 5.4-liter V8!

 

From nissans Site.....

Nissan Endurance 5.6-liter DOHC V8 producing over 300 horsepower @ 4,800 rpm and more than 375 lb-ft of torque @ 3,200 rpm

The horsepower rating is the same as fords, not sure about the torque (im tired and too lazy to look it up right now)...but its a comparable engine.

However, the 18" wheels and huge tires on the Titan are a plus for a brawny look. Ford better be offering something similiar.

 

300 horsepower. Huh, that makes more sense. According to Motor Trend, the engine's slated to have 350 hp/380 lb-ft of torque. Oh, well, that just goes to show you that you can't really rely on a magazine.

Oh, yeah, and Ford's engine is rated at 360 lb-ft of torque.

 

The NIssan has "300 +" hp. So MT is guessing at the Hp rating. They base the 350 on the fact it feels as strong or stronger than the Hemi which has 345. I'll be surprised if it ends up at 350. Typically when Nissan does this it gets @ 10-15 more. Although if they really want to make waves, 350 is the way to do it.

Did anyone notice that MT said the Ford has 300, but this is still short of Dodge, Nissan "and Chevy"???? Since when can you get a 1500 chevy with more than 300 HP? Yes I know the 1500HD gets teh 6.0L with 300HP, but not in a regular 1500... Unless ?! they're referring to the Denali with 325? In that case then Ford has everybody beat with the Lightning... Someone should fire off a nasty letter to MT. That comment is very misleading...

 

01's wife here.

Motor Trend is not the only one to do that. It seems that all Chevy guys like to compare the 6.0 to the new 3-valve 5.4 and claim their superiority??? How they do this I do not know.

I have asked them where you can buy a standard cab SB, 2wd or 4wd with the 6.0......... and they can't tell me. I asked about an extra cab that wasn't $45K (like the Denali) with the 6.0, and noone would answer me. As a matter of fact, they just kept on talking like you can get the 6.0 in any Chevy truck made.

Hmmmm, wishful thinking maybe.

I even had a spirited debate with an engineer who showed specs of the Silverado with the base V8 and the new F150 with the base V8......... showing weight, payload (which was incorrect) and towing (which was also incorrect). By these few numbers alone he claimed that the new Ford was an also ran, a POS, and would propel Chevy to the full size truck sales crown.

I asked him to do the same with the 5.4 vs the 5.3 and he never did it. All he kept doing was talking about the 6.0. I said, "ok, if you want to talk about the most powerful engine that is available in a half ton Chevy........ even if it is only in a couple of trucks......... then I will compare it to the most powerful engine available in the half ton Ford......... the S/C 5.4." They didn't like that.......... called it unfair.

Thus, I guess with them it is do as I say........ not as I do.

I went on to explain to him about ride, handling, the frame strength, the payload and towing with the 5.4, the interior quality and so on. He said none of that mattered.......... as he buys vehicles based on specs alone, and based on that the F150 is a POS.

Needless to say, I don't have a very high opinion of someone who talks so badly about a vehicle they have never seen, sat in, or driven.

All I can say bad about the Titan at this point is that it is hideously ugly. What is the deal with the big chrome teeth in the front??? Can you image that thing coming toward you when the sun is in just the wrong spot??? I can see the lawsuits already.

 

The one feature I did like in the Titan was the adjustable tie downs. Then I thought what about the people who don't haul all of their payloads in bags, boxes or other packages. I seems the grooves for the anchors will get clogged up quickly and be useless. I guess that goes with the idea that imports are for those who don't need a real truck and the Ford is for those who do.

 

Nissan is as usual making a class leading Machine. those of you who are ford lovers will stay with fords. until you get stomped by a Titan.

I'm going to get me my Titan King Cab. Tow my boat and still smoke your ford.

btw~ i think it was really raw of Ford to lie about the capacity for towing saying it was 9500 and then to take it back and change it to 9900. to me that says Nissan has them scared and running.

Btw, who else has a storage compartment on the side? who else has Factory sprayed bedliners? who else has everyone else scared? NISSAN will rule the Big truck market, I intend to be the first to get mine in Kentucky.

 

WOW dragging up an old thread to tell us Nissan will rule? Looks like another firestarter here.

Have fun in your truck when you storage compartment door keeps popping open and everyone looks at you like you are driving a spaceship.

 

Wow, proud to be an American and buy Japanese, that's funny. Just another truck for the yuppies

 

Hmmm...I could be wrong here but I believe Ford has already sold more 2004s than Nissan will build throughout the entire model year. I guess we'll have to wait till next year for Nissan to sell a million Titans...

 

The Titan is not released yet, but every report about it and its SUV the Armada says it feels cheap. Sounds like like the 2002 Altima, lots of power and little substance.

FYI, it is easy and cheaper to add extra features (like bed coating) than it is to instill quality materials throughout.