WHEN OPPOSITES ATTRACT – NISSAN COMBINES ITS LARGEST AND SMALLEST OFFERINGS IN UNIQUE MODIFICATION EXERCISE

September 1, 2016 by Nissan

Nissan TITAN Hauler XD project truck demonstrates extra-duty hauling with Micra Cup Race Car in truck bed

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Canada – This weekend, Nissan will present its TITAN Hauler XD project truck at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the last Micra Cup race in Ontario of the season, bringing together the extremes of the Nissan Canada line-up – the TITAN XD full-size pickup truck and the Micra subcompact. The TITAN Hauler XD project truck builds on the production TITAN XD's already exceptional towing and hauling capabilities by almost doubling the payload rating with a Nissan Micra Cup race car secured in the truck bed. The Nissan TITAN Hauler XD project truck effectively puts Canada's most affordable racing series on a pedestal as the second season enters its final month in the 2016 calendar.

'It's a great time to be part of the Nissan family,' said Joni Paiva, president of Nissan Canada Inc. 'With the TITAN XD, we have recently launched one of the most capable and well-rounded pick-ups which creates an entirely new truck segment. To top it all off, Nissan's motorsport persona is alive and well in Canada through the Nissan Micra Cup spec series. The TITAN Hauler XD project truck merges the vehicles at the opposite ends of the spectrum of Nissan vehicles available in the Canadian market by bringing together two vehicles in a visually spectacular way.'

The TITAN Hauler XD project truck was developed entirely by Quebec-based Motorsports in Action (MIA), which designed and built a customized aluminum rig that was affixed to the bed of the TITAN XD. The deployment is operated by an electro hydraulic pump that operates cylinders that move the platform on and off the truck. The platform holds the Nissan Micra Cup race car in place, and moves forward and backwards for precise loading and unloading.

The payload capacity of the TITAN HAULER XD project truck's bed is almost double the already impressive payload capacity rating of the Nissan TITAN XD, which was achieved through strategic reinforcement of the TITAN XD chassis and suspension.

'I've had the opportunity to work with Nissan on several projects including the Micra Cup race cars and the Rogue Warrior extreme prototype, so when Nissan came to me with the idea of putting the race car in the bed of the TITAN XD, I was immediately excited by the challenge,' said Carl Hermez, owner, MIA Motorsport. 'It's great to be part of another Nissan prototype exercise that is uniquely Canadian, very imaginative and pushing the limits outside of everyone's expectations.'

In production form, the TITAN XD Crew Cab offers some of the effortless towing and hauling of the larger, more expensive heavy-duty trucks – including an available maximum towing capacity of 12,314 pounds (diesel engine) and maximum payload capacity of 2,594 pounds (gas engine) when properly equipped – yet has affordability closer to a half-ton pickup.

Nissan will launch its first single cab full-size pickup truck this fall, in both the TITAN XD and TITAN half-ton variants. The single cabs will have the power, torque, heavy duty chassis and durability demanded by today's demanding worksites – including the highest towing capacities and payloads in the ever-expanding TITAN lineup.

'We are excited to see the reaction of racing enthusiasts at this weekend's race at Mosport, where they will see the TITAN Hauler XD project truck for the first time,' said Paiva.

About the Nissan Micra Cup

Sanctioned by Auto Sport Québec (ASQ) and presented by JD Promotion & Compétition with the support of Nissan Canada, the 2016 Nissan Micra Cup exclusively features the stock Micra 1.6 S M/T model with minor modifications, including NISMO suspension - to render it race-ready.

Unlike most motorsport events, each competing Nissan Micra race vehicle has the exact same specifications, resulting in a competition that truly reveals the most skilled drivers. The Nissan Micra Cup race vehicles were equipped with the Nissan Micra's stock 1.6-litre DOHC 4-cylinder engine with dual fuel injection and Twin CVTC (Continuously Variable Timing Control) and stock 5-speed manual transmission. In its inaugural season last year, more than 25 Nissan Micras competed on each race weekend which included two hours of track time consisting of: a 30-minute trial, a 30-minute qualifying session and two 30-minute races.

Young karting drivers, the average Canadian looking for an entry point into motorsport competition, or anyone who wants to experience the rush of adrenaline inherent with racing cars are all well-suited to this series. In summary, the Nissan Micra Cup is for people who are passionate about motorsports, want to experience all the fun and thrills of racing, but without spending staggering amounts of money.

For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, please visit Nissan.ca/MicraCup.

About Nissan North America

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the U.S. media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan Motor Co.

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 247,500 employees globally, Nissan sold 5.32 million vehicles and generated revenue of 11.38 trillion yen (USD 103.6 billion) in fiscal year 2014. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. Nissan leads the world in zero-emission mobility, dominated by sales of the LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle. It is the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

About Nissan Canada Inc.

Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Nissan Motor Limited and Nissan North America, Inc. NCI directly employs 306 full-time staff across offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC). There are 191 independent Nissan dealerships, 39 Infiniti retailers and 45 Nissan Commercial Vehicle dealers across Canada. A pioneer in zero emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year and World Car of the Year awards.

Photo credit: Nissan
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