Nissan calls up Navara N-Trek Warrior

FRESH from launching its range-topping Navara N-Trek pick-up this month, Nissan Australia has trademarked the name N-Trek Warrior for a more highly specified Navara to take on high-end rivals such as the Toyota HiLux Rugged.

Trademark application papers for the N-Trek Warrior name and logo were lodged with IP Australia on behalf of Nissan Australia on August 14, just a week after Nissan executives were in Queensland talking up the new N-Trek Navara range-topper at the vehicle’s media launch.

Navara is not expressly mentioned in the application, but the Warrior association with N-Trek in the papers indicates it could be the badge for a new version of the one-tonne pick-up that GoAuto understands is likely to surface in as little as two months.

The application includes an image of the N-Trek Warrior logo that shows a simulation of a snow-capped mountain range above the words N-Trek Warrior.

Interestingly, the application mentions electric vehicles, although that is believed to be a cover-all clause in case something like that ever emerges from the Nissan factory over time.

The Warrior name is not new to Nissan, having been applied to a concept version of the company’s full-size pick-up, the Titan, in 2016.

That Nissan variant is yet to materialise in production form, although pundits say that if it does, it will likely go head to head with Ford’s F-150 Raptor.

The Titan Warrior concept boasted a beefed-up body kit, chunky wheels and a high-riding off-road chassis similar to the treatment of the Raptor, although the Titan concept was powered by a Cummins-sourced diesel engine, compared with the production Raptor’s twin-turbo petrol EcoBoost V6.

In Australia, the one-size smaller Navara’s new N-Trek is being pitched at Ford’s Ranger Wildtrak.

Based on the ST-X dual-cab Navara that previously served as the range flagship, the N-Trek gets black body trim and a range of extras such as leather seats with orange inserts to match the rest of the interior trim as well as orange contrast stitching.

The front seats are also heated, with eight-way electric adjustment on the driver’s seat.

N-Trek pricing undercuts the Ford Ranger Wildtrak by about $5000, depending on spec.

GoAuto understands the new Navara N-Trek Warrior will not directly compete with the $75,990 (plus on-road costs) Ford Ranger Raptor, but rather rivals such as the Toyota HiLux Rugged that ranges in price from $55,865 to $64,490.