Nissan seems to be following the same strategy in promoting its newest pickup as producers did with 2014’s “Gozdilla” movie: slowly build anticipation with subtle glimpses, and then unleash the monster.
Nissan’s campaign started earlier this week with an Instagram photo of a new pickup (we expect it to be the next-generation Frontier) cleverly disguised under some curtains.
On June 4th, Nissan continued its slow reveal with a new video, which shows Nissan’s pickup undergoing a wide variety of extreme testing.
The video details the Nissan going running an environmental gauntlet a controlled environment, as we see the truck subjected to water, snow, mud, and extremely low temperatures (-19.9 C or -3.8 F).
Nissan also put the new Frontier through the ringer outside as well; the Japanese automaker says the pickup has been tested over 600,000 miles in real-world conditions such as tarmac, rock, mud, and dirt.
Nissan purposely kept full shots of the vehicle out of the video, but the Frontier’s signature three-piece grill can be seen during the video’s short 30 seconds, as well as a large chrome emblem and L-shaped LED running lights.
A Cummins diesel-powered Frontier “project” was unveiled by Nissan in February, so don’t be surprised if a Cummins engine, which is usually found under the hood of a Dodge, appears in the next-generation production Frontier. The Cummins-powered Frontier featured a 2.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produced 200 horsepower, over 350 lb-ft of torque, and nearly 30 impressive mpg on the highway.
The new Frontier comes just at the right time for Nissan, as General Motors is just months away from releasing the 2015 Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, both direct competitors of the Frontier.
Thankfully, unlike Godzilla, we don’t have to wait halfway through the production until we see the new Frontier in all its glory: Nissan plans a full reveal on June 11th.
