The U.S. auto industry can confidently make the claim that it builds the best full-size trucks in the world.
Some foreign automakers attempt to compete, but so far no other company has come close to matching the reliability, capability, or popularity of the American Big 3.
Simply put, if you want a truck to haul a massive horse trailer or 5th wheel camper, you won’t find anything better equipped for the job than a truck straight out of Detroit.
If, on the other hand, you want a full-size truck for runs to Home Depot and helping friends move couches, Toyota or Nissan would be happy to sell you one.
That’s the impression, anyway. Nissan wants to change the way Americans see its full-size truck so it re-engineered the new Titan to give Detroit a run for its money. So far, though, buyers aren’t taking the bait.
Nissan’s plan to increase sales? Stop trying so hard to sell the Titan in most of the country.
Carbuzz says,
Instead of pushing sales at Nissan dealerships across the US, the automaker will focus its Titan marketing and distribution efforts in just four truck-loving cities:
Dallas, Houston, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. According to Nissan North America’s senior VP of sales and marketing, Christian Meunier, once the automaker is “satisfied that we’re where we want to be in those markets we will then move to our second phase.” That will consist of an additional six, still unknown markets. Assuming that all goes well, another 40 markets will be added in the third phase.
People outside of those cities can still buy a new Titan, but supplies might be limited. This could feasibly help Titan sales since nothing creates demand like the illusion of limited supply.
The Titan should be able to stand on its own merits, though. It’s a genuinely competent and attractive truck that can be had with a Cummins diesel engine and a max towing capacity of over 12,000 pounds. This isn’t the Titan you remember.
The problem is getting that message across to people who buy trucks and then convincing them to consider Nissan as an equal to the American Big 3.
So far Nissan’s marketing hasn’t increased sales of the new truck, so focusing its efforts on a few strategic cities at a time could help turn things around.
Would you buy the new Nissan Titan over a Ford, Chevy, or Ram?
-tgriffith
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Wow, they’re really doomed if their trucks don’t sell in the limited market. I wouldn,t buy one, American trucks are awesome.