It is being planned to create a sporty Navara to compete with the Ford Ranger Raptor, but it will not have Mercedes’ 3.0-liter diesel motor.
For some time Nissan has been playing with the idea to create a Navara that would take on Ford Ranger Raptor. While it isn’t clear if it will, we now know it won’t have Mercedes’ V6 diesel engine. Scott Williams, the X-Class product manger for Australia and New Zealand at the launch of the new posh pickup truck, made the announcement during an interview with GoAuto. The Mercedes representative stated:
The tie-up between Mercedes-Benz and Nissan for the loan of the Navara’s platform to the X-Class doesn’t also include Daimler’s turbodiesel 3.0-liter engine being shared with Japanese automaker. The cost of borrowing the engine (and related hardware) from the X350d 4Matic to make a beefier Navara model could prove costly. Nissan may not be willing or able to pay this premium.
According to a recent trademark file, the range-topping Navara could possibly be called “Offroader”. However, just because a nameplate has been registered doesn’t mean that it will be used on a production-model. Although it remains to be determined what Nissan engineers will install under the hood of the Navara, it is now certain that it won’t include a Mercedes V6 with 258 horsepower (190kilowatts), and a maximum torque output of 550 Newton-meters (406 pounds-feet).
The Navara’s high-end engine will need to match Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0-liter biturbodiesel 2.0-liter, which packs 210 hp (369 kW) and 500 Nm (369lb-ft). Spy shots show that the Ranger has been refueled and is on its way to the United States.