With all the names auto manufacturers call their cars (Mini-Compact, Sports Utility Vehicle, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, Multi-Purpose Vehicle) coming out with yet another name for a pick-up truck sounds a bit redundant.

But Nissan and Universal Motors Corporation dared to offer a new name to the already tried and tested Nissan Navara, by launching the "Nissan Navara Pursuit." Nissan repositions the Navara, this time not only as your wonderful every day workhorse, but great for your sports gear as well.

Most consumers already know Navara's capability and selling it as a workhorse was "easy as pie" but in order to make it an outdoorsy sportman's vehicle of choice, Nissan had to prove its worthiness.

At the empty tracks of Mall of Asia, a group of fitness fanatics were made to do different stunts to showcase the Navara's sportiness. Consisting of bike time trials, an open race and multi-sport showdowns, the participants showed off their skills on an off-road track specially built for the Navara launch.

Teams that competed were Fitness First, Xterra, Secondwind, Takbo.ph, Fort Striders and Pinoy Ultrarunners. The ultimate test in the competition were the 4-wheel Drive Time Trials, where the teams drove the Navara over a series of obstacles designed to demonstrate its engineering and performance.

The Navara Pursuit does have potential though. The Nissan Frontier Navara's advanced 2.5-liter Common Rail Direct Injection turbodiesel produces the highest specific output per liter. The 4X4 variant of the Navara is rated at 174 horsepower and 403 Newton-meters of torque, while the 4x2 produces 144 horsepower and 356 Newton-meters. From just 2.5-liters, a size that promotes better fuel efficiency, the Navara proves that there really is a replacement for displacement.

Rides like a dream

Also, the Nissan Frontier Navara has the toughest backbone in its class with an 8-crossmember (a section of steel bolted across the frame of the vehicle) ladder-frame chassis.

This 8-crossmember chassis provides numerous benefits in crucial areas like ride comfort, stability and durability. With 8 crossmembers supporting the body, the Navara creates a car-like ride without the typical vibrations felt from ordinary pick-ups. This solid structure also provides a more stable and therefore safer platform. The 8-crossmember chassis can also take punishment that a car-based SUV can only dream of.

Inside, the Navara's cabin is just like an SUV's: functional, attractive, and ergonomically efficient. A full suite of safety, comfort, and convenience features ensure that the Navara's spacious cabin will make anyone feel at home and the Navara's utility becomes superior over other SUV's because of its full-size cargo bed. With the biggest cargo volume in its class, the Navara can haul just about anything you care to put in the back.

For speed, the Navara is the first and only pickup truck with a 6-speed manual transmission, just like those in sports cars.

The 6-speed manual transmission features closer gear ratios and an extra overdrive gear compared to conventional 5-speed transmissions, giving it faster acceleration, high-speed cruising, lower engine noise, and fuel efficiency. At any given speed, the 6-speed enables the driver to engage a higher gear in order to lower engine RPM and thus, improve fuel economy.

With its wheelbase of 3,200 millimeters, the Navara has the biggest footprint in its class. Aside from providing more space in the passenger cabin, the long wheelbase (distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel) enables a more stable and smoother ride at any speed.

Other pick-up truck manufacturers would have to hustle to catch up because, from being a workhorse to its recent upgrade as a sports-worthy vehicle, the Nissan Navara Pursuit has probably created a personal niche for itself and jumped ahead of the rest.