Video: Truckumentary #3 – Nissan Titan XD Diesel Design

When we think of trucks, especially full-size trucks such as the GM 1500, 2500 or 3500; Ram 1500, 2500 or 3500 pickups; or the F-Series 150, 250, and 350 trucks, we usually picture brawny, masculine images. However, we should know better, especially these days. There are nearly as many woman driving these trucks as there are men. There are also plenty of woman involved in the engineering and design of these pickups.

Nissan Titan XD Truckumetary-3One such woman is Diane Allen. Allen is the Senior Design Manager at Nissan Design America (NDA), and is featured in “Sketch Pad,” the third video chapter of the Nissan “TITAN Truckumentary” series. Allen and her team are responsible for the design of the recently revealed full-size 2016 Nissan Titan XD. The design of the 2016 Nissan Titan XD was no small feat. Allen and the rest of the design team knew they had some big contenders in the crowded and very competitive full size pickup truck marketplace and moved forward with an aggressive, yet functional re-designed of the new Nissan Titan.

Nissan Titan XD Truckumentary-2The team knew that they had to honor the heritage of the company with the new design. According to Allen, “It still has a Nissan flavor, but the new Titan is undeniably full-size.” When they began to forge an image of what the new Nissan Titan XD should look like, members of the design team all brought in their points of inspiration. Some brought in pictures of heavy equipment, some brought in machine tools. One designer offered pictures of the Titan gods of Greek mythology, huge powerful super beings that were called upon to help fight battles.

The end product may be up for debate among truck enthusiasts, but some facts can’t be denied. Two such facts are that the new Nissan Titan is the only half-ton pickup with a real steering box and a 5.0L Cummins diesel, lending a powerful presence to the all-new 2016 Nissan Titan XD pickup truck. For more on the 2016 Nissan Titan XD, check out our story on its Detroit Auto Show debut, our head-to-head comparison between the Nissan 5.0L Cummins and the Ram 3.0L diesel, and the shakeup the 2016 Nissan Titan XD is causing in the pickup truck marketplace.

Nissan Titan XD Truckumentary-1

About the author

Stuart Bourdon

A passion for anything automotive (especially off-road vehicles), camping, and photography led to a life exploring the mountains and deserts of the Southwest and Baja, and a career in automotive, outdoor, and RV journalism.
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