Nissan may be a Japanese automaker, but its U.S. headquarters are located just outside of Nashville in Smyrna, Tennessee. For the 2018 Work Truck Show, though, Nissan seems to have looked to Memphis for inspiration, creating a one-off Titan concept that’s all about barbecue.
Based on a Titan XD King Cab, the Smokin’ Titan features an in-bed smoker and mobile kitchen. But since the wood fire needed to smoke ribs generates quite a bit of heat, Nissan decided to turn the bed into a towable trailer. Drop the tailgate, and the smoker slides out on a sliding tray. On the other side, the bed has a sink with its own onboard water storage system to make cleanup simple and straightforward.
In place of the regular bed, Nissan added a custom aluminum flatbed that features three propane grills and a matching set of cutting boards. So if you get hungry while the ribs are smoking, you can grill up a quick snack, and if you’re smoking shoulders, there’s plenty of room to tear the finished meat into tasty morsels of goodness. In the cabin, Nissan added a refrigerator and a custom spice rack.
“With its available innovative bed features, lockable Titan boxes, Rockford Fosgate premium audio system and luxurious interior, the Titan XD is a fantastic tailgating truck as is,” said Billy Hayes, Nissan’s North American head of trucks. “But the incredible enhancements made to convert a stock Titan into the Smokin’ Titan—a built-in smoker, stove and spice rack—make it a dream for those who love to spend time with friends and family smoking meat, as I do myself.”
Obviously, a truck bed-based trailer has its limitations, and there are plenty of towable smokers that could do a lot more for less money. But as a promotional vehicle, the Smokin’ Titan looks like it works pretty well. Plus, since Nissan says it plans to take it to a few more shows this year, there’s a chance we’ll get to taste some of Nissan’s Titan-smoked barbecue. If that happens, we’ll be sure to report back on how good it is.
In the meantime, be sure to support your local barbecue joint. And remember, friends don’t let friends put mustard or mayonnaise into barbecue sauce.
Source: Nissan