How would you like a Nissan Navara NISMO?

MANILA: Along with the ballooning SUV and crossover market, the demand for pickups trucks is on the rise as well. The surge in the demand has been the result of people starting to use pickup trucks as both lifestyle and commercial vehicles. To cater to the rising requirement, almost all of the manufacturers are now offering pickup trucks.

However, when it comes to a pickup with sheer power and unmatchable performance credentials, the Ford Ranger Raptor is the only option. And, to give the American pickup a run for its money, there is honestly not a single pickup. While there are off-road dedicated versions of many pickups, they still, however, lag in terms of power.

Someone has come up with an idea, though. And it is none other than the managing director of Nissan Australia. Stephen Lester wants Nissan to build a performance version of the Navara that can give the Ford Ranger Raptor some kind of competition. A Nismo version of the Navara would be just what Nissan wants to beat the Ranger Raptor at its own game.

There is already the Navara AT32 that Nissan has developed in conjunction with Arctic Trucks. With its off-road dedicated credentials like the 17-inch alloy wheels, 20 mm suspension lift kit, 32-inch all-terrain tyres, and skid plates, the Navara AT32 is a great pickup, however, its engine makes it fall behind the Ranger Raptor.

The Nissan Navara AT32 gets is power from a 2.3-litre twin-turbocharged diesel motor than generates 190 PS of maximum power and a peak torque of 450 Nm. Instead of this diesel powerhouse, Stephen Lester wants Nissan to equip the pickup with a gasoline-fed mill. The 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 motor that powers the Skyline (Infiniti Q50) sedan would make a good case, won’t it? Its 304 PS of maximum power output makes the Ranger Raptor’s 213 PS look meek.

While all this sounds cool, we shouldn’t speculate anything before Nissan releases an official statement. Until then, all we can do is hope for Stephen Lester to somehow convince Nissan for building a Navara NISMO edition.

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