The tarp won't come off this "technical study" Frontier for another ninety minutes, but there's no mistaking the Cummins diesel badge on the front fenders. Cummins reps milling around the stage eliminate any traces of doubt that Nissan is serious about being a serious player in the truck efficiency arms race.

We've known Nissan's been planning a for their next for some time now, but up until today the future of the Frontier hasn't been advertised. Though Nissan's truck guy Fred Diaz has been saying "we're studying the possibility of diesel being in more of our products going forward."

If you're gonna get a big pickup truck, get a diesel pickup truck. And if you want the badass-iest…

I'm guessing the Frontier's bodystyle will change before a radical powertrain update takes place, but it's exciting to see such a development in the small truck segment.

Hi there!

More to come when the cover comes off.