– With the Titan full-size pickup, Nissan says it has the product to compete with Detroit. But Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn says it will be hard to convince buyers who have always driven domestic trucks: “The challenge is not so much the competition; it’s the consumer.”
– After introducing four models at the Detroit Auto Show, Nissan will unveil three more at the New York Auto Show in April: the 350Z roadster, the Titan crew-cab pickup and a full-size sport-utility based on the Titan. No intros are planned for Chicago, though the hardware introduced in Detroit is scheduled to be shown here.
– Toyota will offer its first wheelchair-accessible model in Western states beginning in June and nationally within a year. Called the Rampvan, it is a Sienna minivan with a lowered floor and a power ramp on the passenger side.
– Chrysler has priced the 2004 Pacifica at $31,230 for the front-wheel-drive model and $32,980 for the all-wheel-drive version, including the $680 destination charge. The Pacifica, a crossover that blends attributes of a sedan and sport-utility and looks like a wagon, goes on sale in February.
