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After nearly three years of teasing and speculation, Nissan Australia in partnership with Australian engineering firm Premcar has finally confirmed production details of its eagerly awaited Y62 series Patrol Warrior.
However, buyers must wait 12 months or more before being able to take delivery, as Premcar is reportedly only now commencing its extensive modification work on the Japanese-built full-sized 4x4 SUV wagon in Melbourne, after waiting for the green light from Japan.
That timing would put the Patrol Warrior local launch perilously close to the unveiling of the next-generation Y63 Patrol, rumoured to be pencilled in for some time late in 2023 or in early 2024 at current estimates. Although that of course may change in today's fluid climate.
Additionally, as expected, there will be no power or torque upgrades to the standard 298kW/560Nm 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine, meaning the top Patrol will follow in the footsteps of its successful Navara Warrior pick-up in primarily gaining substantially enhanced off-road capabilities, along with improved on-road dynamics.
A Nissan Australia initiative to take on the wildly popular Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport (which kicks off from a hefty $136,981 before on-road costs), it appears that the Patrol Warrior will only be offered locally for the time being – unlike the Navara version, which has also found its way to New Zealand.
More information and details are expected to be revealed closer to the launch date later next year, including the all-important pricing and how much more expensive the Warrior version will be compared to the regular Patrol Ti and Ti-L grades that are currently priced from $82,160 and $95,115 respectively before on-road costs.
“Developed and tested by Premcar to meet the harshest of Aussie conditions, the already highly capable Nissan Patrol Warrior will be exclusive to Australia and will feature wheel, tyre and suspension enhancements,” reads the Nissan Australia statement released today.
“These enhancements paired with the powerful 5.6L V8 direct injection engine delivering 298kW of power and 560Nm of torque, will make this vehicle the ultimate Warrior.
"Together, the carefully considered and locally tuned modifications will deliver a Patrol with improved ground clearance, a wider stance and improved ride and handling.
“Premcar’s development program is expected to take around 12 months to complete and is such a large project that it will involve additional recruitment, expansion and investment by Premcar.”
Late last year, Premcar engineering director, Bernie Quinn, revealed to CarsGuide that both companies are taking their time to ensure that any vehicle wearing the Warrior badge lives up to critical and consumer expectations.
“It takes time,” he said back then. “It has to be done properly, and only after it’s gone through all the proper processes of engineering and meeting our engineering standards.”
Building up sufficient supply is also a factor, given that shortages have dogged the Patrol since 2020 as restricted travel resulting from COVID 19-related issues globally led to rocketing demand and extended waiting times for recreational 4x4 SUVs such as the Patrol and LandCruiser.
To the end of August, with LandCruiser 300 Series delays blowing out into years, Nissan has broken Patrol sales records with 4020 registrations, against a still-healthy 2251 units achieved during the same period last year, resulting in an impressive 78.6 per cent jump.
Not bad for an SUV first seen in early 2010 and released in Australia in late 2012. Happy 10th birthday, Patrol!
Speaking of old things, as we’ve reported previously, a Patrol Warrior was initially mooted following the original Navara N-Trek Warrior’s launch in 2019, so it’s been a long journey since then for the Nissan/Premcar project.
At last November’s Navara Warrior event in Coffs Harbour, Nissan Australia managing director, Adam Paterson, warned of the processes that lead to such delays, involving securing permission right from the top of Nissan Motor Company management in Japan.
“The Navara (experience) has allowed us to build a process in which to get these locally-converted programs off the ground,” he said at the time. “The team really blazed the trail, because getting these types of things approved from a global perspective when you’re modifying a globally-homologated product locally takes time, and we have built a process for that.”
Whether the Patrol Warrior’s confirmation opens up the door for the addition in Australia of a Patrol Nismo global flagship remains to be seen.
To recap, with the latter’s 320kW 5.6-litre V8 pumping out an extra 22kW thanks to knowhow leveraged from Nismo’s Nissan GT-R sports car engine experience, there may be space for a more refined performance grand tourer version of the Patrol. To that end, it also scores a body kit, spoilers, stronger brakes and suspension upgrades to help bolster on-road driving dynamics.
However, that may have to wait until the next-generation Y63 Patrol surfaces instead.
Back to the current-shape Patrol, the Warrior is of course the second Nissan/Premcar co-op after the Navara version, with over 1000 already built.
Let’s allow Mr Paterson to have the final words (for now):
"I’m extremely excited to announce that a Nissan Patrol Warrior is coming, and I have no doubt that it will be a huge success,” he said in the release.
“The Warrior program, our collaboration with Premcar, has already proven immensely popular in Australia, and a new version of the already hugely capable Nissan Patrol is a vehicle I, like many Australians, can’t wait to drive.
“Our collaboration with Premcar is all about developing vehicles that are perfectly suited to Australian customers and conditions.”
Need to know more about the Patrol Warrior moving forward? Stay tuned.
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