It came, it saw, it conquered: The Nissan Patrol
From the mundane school run, weekly shopping trips and hotel-airport shuttle runs, to dune bashing, river wading and forest carving adventures, the Nissan Patrol is prepared for it all. Then there are the mentalists that fit drag radials, pull wheelies or take on the Paris-Dakar, the Nissan Patrol is a sensational cult icon, and it is easy to see why:
The automotive world is not short of off-roading icons, we've already covered the Mercerdes-Benz G Wagon and why everyone from The Pope to Arnie wants one, the Nissan Patrol is revered for very different reasons. The Patrol is not about looking suave or stunting on Hollywood Boulevard, quite the opposite. Throughout history, Nissan wanted the Patrol badge to forever be synonymous with the ability to explore any environment in utmost comfort.
World War II demanded automotive manufacturers pivot to building cars that were tough enough to explore war zones and traverse testing terrain, this brief saw the birth of the US Army Jeep built by Willys and Ford. Following the devastation of WWII where the US dropped atomic bomb, Japan needed to be reconstructed and many Jeeps were used in the clean up. It was here that the Japanese government identified the opportunity for their domestic manufacturers to get in on the off-roading action, soon after the original Toyota Land Cruiser and Mitsubishi J-Series Jeep came to be. These two titans would not have it all their own way, in 1951 came the very first Nissan Patrol, a name what would go on to define the sector.
The evolution of the Nissan Patrol over the past 71 years has seen it become more rugged, technologically advanced and luxurious as it gained international acclaim.
A few highlights that contributed to this included the 60-Series Nissan Patrol which became the first vehicle to ever make it across Australia’s Simpson Desert. Motorsport was also on the cards for the Patrol. The jewel in the crown of 4WD rallying is the Paris-Dakar Rally and in 1987, the Patrol was the first diesel to ever break into the top-10 at the prestigious race, in fine style too: 1st in class and 9th overall, no walk in the park. A rival, the Mitsubishi Pajero had a more dominant record, but the Nissan Patrol’s rally performance at Dakar made it enormously popular. The Spanish were particularly fond of the Nissan, in 1986 one in every two vehicles sold was a Patrol, a bonkers statistic that pays testament to the reputation and desirability of the model.
Through the 90’s and early 2000’s, the rise of luxury SUVs, such the Range Rover, BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne was snowballing, but the humble Patrol’s popularity never wavered. It has remained honest and has never relyed on being a status symbol to reinforce sales, this remains the case to this day.
Y62 is the code for the current Patrol model which was first shown at a VIP event in Abu Dhabi, reflecting the Patrol’s special relationship with customers in the Middle East. As with the models before it, there were a host of sporting firsts such as Nissan’s ALL MODE 4×4, Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist, making the Y62 the most sophisticated Patrol to date.
Since its introduction, the model has claimed as astonishing three Guinness records – the first in 2013 when it towed the world’s heaviest aircraft, a 170-ton Ilyushin-76 cargo plane, for over 50 meters at the Sharjah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. In 2015, it claimed another Guinness World Record for the fastest ascent of a 100-metre sand dune when it took just 4.9 seconds to climb the famous Wadi-Rum dune in Jordan, a formidable record and a shocking showcase of talent. Finally, in 2018, a group of 180 Nissan Patrols set a new record for the largest synchronised car dance in Dubai when two concentric lines of cars were driven in the opposite direction to create the body of a flying falcon.
In 2019 the Y62 was treated to a heavy facelift. Ruggedness will always be the trait Nissan will want the Patrol to be known for, but the radical new design direction and with significantly enhanced first-class levels of comfort for driver and passengers heightened the levels of luxury. A spacious cabin and a quieter ride were objectives that were achieved, whilst the Patrol maintained its superior off-road heritage and commanding road presence.
Finally, many of the connoisseurs reading this may wonder how a certain Patrol that demolished a Porsche 918 Spyder on Amazon hit show ‘The Grand Tour’, could have been left out: the story of this car is both mysterious and fascinating. The Patrol’s 4.8-litre straight-6 engine and 5-speed transmission were both chucked out and replaced by a 3.8-litre VR38DETT twin-turbo V6 engine working with a 6-speed DCT transmission from a Nissan GT-R. According to reports, the initial ‘GT-R engine meets Patrol’ conversion was performed by Nissan themselves in Japan, before the vehicle was sent half-way around the world to the Middle East. It was here that the, the ‘Patrol GT-R’ underwent further engine tinkering (the exact specifics are unknown) and the end result is an SUV which produces a barmy 1900hp – more than 6-times the amount of power of a stock Patrol.
2021 saw the celebration of 70th anniversary for the Patrol, it remains an icon poised to continue to conquer the years ahead.