'A very exciting truck': All-new Nissan Navara NISMO could finally take the fight to the Ford Ranger Raptor in Australia as Mitsubishi Triton twin toughens up

Nissan is promising its all-new 2026 Navara will be a "very exciting truck", with the brand looking at finally introducing a hardcore NISMO variant to take the fight to the Ford Ranger Raptor.

That's the word from Ivan Espinosa, Nissan's Vice president, Product Strategy & Planning, who says the brand is looking at a hardcore halo for the new Navara.

Asked whether he was pushing for a NISMO variant in the next-gen Navara, one that would hit the Ranger Raptor where it lives, Mr Espinosa replied:

"This is something we are looking at. You could imagine seeing something along those lines with the partners we are working with on (Navara)."

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It's not known yet whether Nissan would develop a Navara entirely in-house, or lean on its partnerships with local engineering firms to deliver a new and more hardcore variant, with Mr Espinosa suggesting the brand could lean on partners like Premcar (where Nissan Australia's Warrior program was born).

"Particularly in Australia, we have been doing very good business and customers are very happy with what we’re providing, so you could think we could probably do something along those lines," he says.

Unfortunately, one thing that doesn't appear to be on the cards at the moment is the shoehorning of the Y63's twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6, which churns out 317kW and 700Nm, under a new Navara NISMO's bonnet.

"I don't know that (the engine) actually fits, to be totally honest with you." Mr Espinosa says. "Whether I would like to do it? Maybe yes, it would be a great truck to dream about. But at the moment there's no real plan to share with you."

Mr Espinosa's comments follow those from another senior Nissan executive confirming launch timing and powertrain specifics for the 2026 Navara.

Guillaume Cartier, Nissan's Chairperson of the AMEIO Region, told media the new ute was scheduled for 2026, and was being developed in tandem with Mitsubishi's new Triton.

The new truck will launch with a diesel engine, but over the course of its lifespan it will step to petrol plug-in hybrid to fully battery electric.

"We need to make sure that if we electrify, how we electrify. I think it will be a two-step approach, first with a PHEV solution, then later on with EV. That will be the two-step approach," Mr Cartier says.

"That's what we're looking at, but first it will be with a diesel approach.

"On the first one we are with Mitsubishi, but the next one we are looking at. Because there is also technology we have in-house, which is solid-state battery, but that will take time. We are piloting at the end of 2024, but that is really the game-changer. If this technology is as successful as we believe, we can electrify cars that are today unable to be electrified."