Nissan still sells the previous generation Armada in the United States with a starting price of $52,095 for the 2023 model year. However, its successor is already deep into the development process as evident from the first spy photos of the big SUV we shared about a month ago. Those photos were used by our colleagues at Kolesa.ru for this early camouflage-free unofficial preview of the next-gen Armada.
The test vehicle spied in early October didn’t have a lot of camouflage but it kept big portions of the front fascia hidden. These new renderings reveal a very plausible design for the front end with a massive radiator grille and a large C-shaped chrome bar surrounding it. Above it sits a coast-to-coast LED strip and two large headlight units with L-shaped DRLs flank the grille.
The available spy photos didn’t reveal much of the rear end’s design, though. It is probably fair to say that the rendering here is more of a shoot in the dark rather than an accurate preview but nevertheless, there are some interesting facts worth pointing out. For starters, it seems that the taillights will be connected through the hatchback with an LED strip and a Nissan logo sitting in the center. The main lighting units, in turn, could be limited to just the rear quarter panels as seen in the spy photos. However, the amount of camouflage on the prototype could be hiding design surprises that are invisible to the eye.
According to the currently available information, the new Armada will be even bigger than the outgoing model and will be positioned as a slightly more rugged product. It will reportedly be powered by a twin-turbo V6 engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. This setup will provide a peak power of around 421 horsepower, delivered to all four wheels.
The first generation Armada was launched in North America in 2003. This vehicle was based on the Nissan Titan and was produced in Canton, Mississippi. For the second generation model, however, the automaker decided to globalize the SUV and use different underpinnings. It is assembled in Yukuhashi, Kyushu, Japan, and shares its bones with the Infiniti QX80. A new version of the latter is also currently under development and the company previewed its design with the QX Monograph Concept earlier this year.
