Do you think of a Nissan Titan XD as a chassis cab you could mount a flatbed body on, or racks in the bed and cab to turn the truck into a mobile workspace? What about an NV200 Compact Cargo van outfitted as a beverage dispensing truck, maybe for on-site catering?
If not, the automaker is looking to change that. The company rolled out a bevy of Nissan commercial vehicles at the 2018 Work Truck Show that showcased some of the possibilities of accessorizing and upfitting its trucks for business and personal uses.
"Titan is the only truck in the market that offers the option of you getting a king cab with the rear seat deleted," noted Wendy Orthman, senior manager of trucks and brand communications for Nissan Division U.S. She pointed to a Masterack shelving system installed in a Titan pickup with the rear-seat delete option.
Nissan's Wendy Orthman speaks at the 2018 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.
Nissan also introduced a Masterack sliding rack and storage system that fits in the truck's bed and a dual exhaust system for the Titan, both of which can be installed at dealerships. That follows on the company's announcement in January of a 3-in. lift kit for Titan pickups from ICON.
"They're aftermarket accessories, but you can get them at a dealer. You don't have to go to a second location," Orthman said. Not only is installing such accessories through the dealership convenient, it also means customers can retain the warranty on their vehicles.
As other OEMs have found, both businesses and individuals are responding to utility and personalization options for trucks and vans. For example, "we found that accessorized Titans move 50% faster on our dealership lots," Orthman told Fleet Owner. "So a lot of our dealers are having Titans come in and lifting them, and the fact that we're now able to offer that as a factory-approved option makes a lot of sense."
