Reliable, unbreakable, affordable. The Nissan Patrol is a name  synonymous with ruggedness, a legendary off-roader capable of going  anywhere, anytime. Meticulously honed for over five decades, the Patrol  is Nissan's flagship large SUV model and enjoys a rich heritage  particularly in the Middle East that dates back to the 1950's. This  off-road trendsetter was one of the first dedicated four-wheel-drive  vehicles in the climatically demanding Middle East region, and boasts  the notable distinction of also being the first vehicle to successfully  cross the grueling Simpson Desert in Australia back in 1962.
Under  the banner of "The Hero Comes Home" the Nissan Patrol is back as an  all-new seventh generation model, building on its impressive history,  but at the same time, incorporating a new platform, a radical new design  direction, significantly enhanced interior comfort and luxury, powerful  new V8 engines, a 7-speed automatic transmission and a new 4WD system.
"We  paid special attention to the needs of current Nissan Patrol owners,  and their passengers, and so focused on creating first-class levels of  comfort for the whole family. Heightened luxury, a roomier cabin and a  quieter ride combine to achieve this goal, while maintaining Nissan  Patrol's superior off-road heritage" stresses Hiroyuki Fushiki, project  head and Segment Chief Product Specialist.
Tested to the  limitWanting to build the best possible Nissan Patrol,  engineers first tuned and tested 200 prototypes for dynamic evaluation  at the company's Motegi, Oppama and Tochigi proving grounds before  sending them to the Middle East where they were exposed to every  imaginable challenge; desert, rocky surfaces, highways and inner-city  traffic. "By the time we came around to adding the new body and  interior, we had virtually completed our reliability and durability  testing and perfected all of the new technologies," says chief vehicle  engineer, Takashi Fukui.
After extensive market research, especially in the Middle East, the  design team concluded that for the Nissan Patrol to beat its main  competitors, it needed not only a brand new design direction but  class-leading engine performance, greater luxury and comfort and a smart  mix of new technologies that enhanced the total driving experience.  Product design director, Taiji Toyota, tells us that the all-new  exterior design is like a breath of fresh air. "Not as edgy and hardcore  as its predecessor, the softer new surfaces are beautiful and add a  sense of modernity to the design equation, while still maintaining a  ruggedness and commanding road presence" he said.
According to the  design director, one design element that expresses 'Patrol' and had to  feature strongly was the angled-strut motif front grille. It was  meticulously proportioned to deliver a sense of continuity with past  models but give a touch of newness while enhancing the car's status  level.
Focus on roomier, more luxurious cabinFeaturing  generous amounts of leather, polished aluminium and wood grain  paneling, the Nissan Patrol's interior too has been significantly  upgraded. Given that most customers only go off-road no more than 15% of  the time, designers wanted to create a better, higher quality interior  for the whole family.
In keeping with the Nissan Patrol's mission  to deliver more comfort and more room, the new Patrol delivers seat  dimensions that outclass all competition. Boasting wider, higher and  deeper front seats, the Nissan Patrol offers over 100mm more legroom for  second row passengers, and a roomier third row of seats as well.  Employing double the lateral rigidity over the outgoing model, the new  Nissan Patrol sits on a revised platform that now offers a more robust  construction with a low vibration body.
All-new V8 engine  leads array of segment-beating hardware The new Nissan  Patrol is now the most powerful vehicle in its class. And the key  technology achieving this jump in performance over the predecessor's 4.8  litre power plant is the newly developed 'VK56VD' 5.6-litre V8 engine  with VVEL (variable valve event and lift) and DIG (direct injection  gasoline) technologies that generate 400hp and 550Nm of torque on the  top specification version of this new engine.
Every component has  been redesigned for maximum performance and smooth response, while a new  7-speed automatic transmission with a wider range of gear ratios than  its predecessor, gives the off-roader the ability to deliver power  faster.
Comprehensively upgraded 4WD system sets new  standardIn a world-first for Nissan, the new Patrol  employs a Hydraulic Body Motion Control System (HBMC), which keeps the  car flatter with less body roll during lane-changing and cornering,  while delivering a comfortable ride in city driving and superb stability  on rugged and sandy tracks. Another crucial part of handling equation  comes from the new suspension system, which now employs 4-wheel  independent suspension, upgraded from the previous rigid axle setup.  Nissan has completely redesigned the vehicle's suspension from the  bushes to the links. The combination of HBMC and the new suspension  system with its longer suspension stroke delivers significantly improved  handling and stability on both on- and off-road terrain.
The  Nissan Patrol also employs a newly developed ALL MODE 4x4 system  incorporating a variable 4x4 mode package. It allows the driver to  quickly switch between four drive modes: sand, on-road, snow and rock,  with the flick of a switch. In sand mode, owners are able to drive  safely, quickly and skillfully in sand and dirt, just like professional  rally drivers.
In addition, the Nissan Patrol also offers a new  Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control which can also be selected  easily with the touch of a button. With Hill Start Assist, if a driver  stops on a slope and steps off the brake pedal, the system keeps the  vehicle stationary - with no roll back. Hill Descent Control uses the  brakes to maintain a constant downhill speed of 7km/h in 4H mode and  4km/h in 4L mode.
The new model employs a revised Tyre Pressure  Monitor System (TPMS) with tyre inflation indicator which beeps the horn  softly to inform drivers that a suitable tyre pressure has been  reached.
A revised, more effective brake system also provides the  best braking performance in its class thanks to its new hydraulic brake  booster and a 4-piston opposed front caliper setup with larger 358mm  front discs.
More world-firstsNissan  designers paid special attention to the second row seat passengers by  not only significantly expanding legroom, but by also fitting a new  multi-screen DVD entertainment system, a first form Nissan. It boasts  two rear-facing TVs; one 7-inch monitor embedded into each front seat  headrest.
Fitted with six airbags for top grade, the Nissan Patrol  also comes with a totally revised climate control system boasting  another world-first - the curtain vent. Curtain vent has several small  but highly effective vents mounted in the ceiling above each side window  to blow a strong current of cool air down forming a curtain of air that  acts as a barrier to heat penetrating the cabin.
Yet another  impressive Nissan Patrol feature is the cool box mounted in the centre  console between the front seats. Incorporating a unique double hinge  design, the lid of the cool box can be opened easily from either the  front or second row of seats to access the six 600ml drink bottles  inside.
And lastly...With its fresh new  styling, superior packaging, powerful but economical V8 engine, clever  off-road technologies and higher levels of luxury and comfort, the  all-new Nissan Patrol is now a true segment leader.