Nissan Navara Nismo on the cards as brand studies Ford Ranger Raptor’s success

Nissan is studying the global success of the Ford Ranger Raptor as the brand’s heavyweights weigh up producing a hardcore Nismo-badged rival. 

Speaking at the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan’s new light commercial vehicle chief, Francois Bailly, wouldn’t rule out a Nismo-badged Navara, instead telling media his team was following the success of the Ranger Raptor in Australia and abroad. 

“(The Raptor) is very interesting pick-up truck, and a significant success in Australia, but not just in Australia, and we are looking at those trends very precisely,” he said.

Nissan Australia has made no secret of their desire for a hardcore Navara to join its workhorse range, telling CarsGuide in July it was “keeping the pressure” on its global counterparts. 

The current Navara is home to a four-cylinder diesel good for 140kW and 450Nm, but local Nissan chief Stephen Lester says he’d like to see “a couple of extra cylinders” added to the engine bay.

“I would love the team at global to give us an engine that’s in another car, we’ve got some tremendous engines,” he told CarsGuide in July.

“I can only hope that LCV team heeds some of that pressure from our group – we’re not the only ones around the world that would like to see it. We’re always keeping the pressure on.

“Trust me, we don’t miss an opportunity to remind them that there’s a pretty big engine bay there that could fit an extra couple of cylinders…”

One option would be the twin-turbocharged V6 engine from the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport, which produces 298kW and 475Nm. Alternatively, they could turn to the 5.6-litre V8 engine currently at use in the Patrol, which is good for 298kW and 560Nm.