The first North American-produced Nissan Pathfinder sport-utility vehicle (SUV) rolled off the Smyrna, Tennessee, assembly line on Monday.


“The addition of the Pathfinder to the Smyrna plant [model line] is another step in the continuing growth story for this manufacturing plant,” said Nissan North America manufacturing head Dan Gaudette.


The Pathfinder increases Smyrna’s annual production capacity to 550,000 vehicles and increases the plant’s product range to five, alongside the Xterra SUV, Frontier pickup, and the Maxima and Altima sedans.


Introduced in 1986, the Pathfinder, initially imported from Japan, was the first in a North American lineup of Nissan SUVs that has since expanded to include the mid-size Xterra and full-size Armada.


The Pathfinder will be available with two- or four-wheel drive with an advanced off-road traction system. It has a fully-boxed, all-steel frame, independent double-wishbone front and rear suspension, standard 4.0 litre V6 petrol engine and a standard five-speed automatic transmission adapted from the Armada’s gearbox. The Pathfinder’s engine is built by Nissan’s powertrain assembly plant in nearby Decherd, Tennessee.

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The 2005 Pathfinder will go on sale through 1,100 US dealers in October.








Employees celebrate the completion of 2005 Pathfinder Job One and Two at Nissan’s plant in Smyrna, Tennessee.