Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosnstands in front of a standard 2005 Nissan Frontier that features a larger body and Titan truck styling.
The Nissan Frontier is a mid-size pickup truck. The Nismo was the Frontier's off-road package with the automaker naming the off-roader after its Nismo Motorsports and Performance division. Through much of the 1990s, the formerly compact Frontier struggled to gain a foothold in the U.S. market. Sales increased in 2005 when Nissan placed the Frontier on larger platform and styled it after the full-size Titan truck. For 2010, Nissan rebadged the Nismo the Pro-4X.
Background
Nissan developed the compact Frontier pickup truck in 1998 as the D22 series. The automaker ended domestic sales in 1998 and focused on the North American truck market. By developing a larger truck for the 2005 and later model years, Nissan opened the door for more trim options, although it limited its cab configurations to the Crew Cab and the four-door King Cab. Nissan recognized that its rugged-looking Frontier needed an off-road trim level --- instead of simply offering dealer options --- to keep its customers satisfied. Naming its off-road package Nismo was not without merit. Nissan's Nismo performance team had a long history of competitive racing, including 24 Hours of LeMans, 24 Hours of Daytona and the Dakar African road rally.
Trim Levels
Through 2009, the Nissan Frontier came in four trim ranges: the low-end XE, the mid-range SE, the luxury-oriented LE and the off-road Nismo. The Base XE featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine developing 152 horsepower and matched with a five-speed manual transmission. The Nismo received the 265-horsepower 4-liter V-6 that wielded 284 foot-pounds of torque. The XE came only in a Crew Cab while the Nismo and the mid-range trim level models were available in Crew Cab or the King Cab, and in two- and four-wheel drive.
Nismo Features
Exclusive to the Nismo off-road package were several cosmetic upgrades, protection equipment and technological advances to handle the stress of navigating rough terrain and to improve safety. Features on the 2005 Nismo, for example, included off-road Bilstein shock absorbers for off-road riding. The Nismo also came with skid plates to protect the fuel tank, oil pan and transfer case. Also part of the package were an all-wheel active brake limited-slip traction control system and an electronic locking rear differential. It rode on P265/75R16 BF Goodrich Rugged Trail tires mounted on 16-inch alloy rims. Standard models rode on steel wheels. Cosmetic touches included Nismo exterior badging and Nismo floor mats.
Dimension Differences
The standard Frontier models and the Nismo shared the same body dimensions with some minor differences. The standard 2007 Frontier King Cab, for example, sat on a 125.9-inch wheelbase shared with the 2007 Nismo King Cab. Both models featured a 205.5-inch-long body and 72.8-inch width. The standard Frontier King Cab stood 69.7 inches tall, while the Nismo was 70.1 inches tall. The standard version cleared the ground by 9.8 inches and the Nismo had a ground clearance of 10.1 inches. The Nismo outweighed the standard Frontier by almost 200 lbs. The Nismo had a curbside weight of 4,502 lbs. and the standard model weighed 4,307 lbs.
Tags: difference, nissan, frontier, nismo, Nissan Frontier, off-road package, standard Frontier, compact Frontier, Frontier King, inches Nismo
