More than a quarter of a million Nissan Patrols have been delivered in Australia, as a new-generation model waits in the wings.
Nissan Australia is celebrating the delivery of its 250,000th Patrol to a local owner, achieved 64 years after the first example was sold here in 1961.
The Patrol’s Australian arrival came 10 years after Nissan launched its answer to the Willys Jeep in Japan, initially beginning life as a hardcore utilitarian vehicle before evolving into a comfortable, go-anywhere family cruiser.
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In 1962, a G60 Nissan Patrol was the first vehicle to cross the Simpson Desert, while its off-road prowess was further cemented when the late Les Siviour won 15 consecutive Australian Off-Road Championship 4WD Production class titles from the early 1980s to the late 1990s, a record which stands to this day.
Nissan’s GQ Patrol launched in 1987, bringing with it coil springs which improved comfort, broadening its appeal.
The arrival of the GU in 1997 continued the Patrol on a trajectory of success, and it continued to be one of Australia’s popular large SUVs alongside the Toyota LandCruiser.
The Patrol achieved an annual record of 14,192 deliveries in 1998, made up of the ‘wagon’ SUV we still see now as well as cab/chassis and ute versions.
The current-generation Y62 Patrol came to local showrooms in 2013, ditching diesel power in favour of a 5.6-litre petrol V8.
In 2023, local tuning firm Premcar – born out of the demise of Ford Performance Vehicles – launched the Patrol Warrior, the most hardcore version of the SUV sold in local showrooms.
Despite the Y62 being long in the tooth, more Patrols have been delivered so far this year than the LandCruiser 300 Series, even though the latter launched in early 2022.
“Few models reach legend status, and even fewer are still cementing that legacy today, but that’s exactly what the Patrol has achieved across each of its generations in Australia,” Nissan Oceania vice president and managing director Andrew Humberstone said in a media statement.
“Last year saw Nissan Australia record its best sales on record for the Y62 Patrol and record the best sales for the Patrol nameplate since 2004. That momentum continues, with the Patrol achieving number one in its segment for the last three months.
“What makes this milestone particularly meaningful is how Australia has shaped the Patrol. The best example of that is in Nissan showrooms now – the Patrol Warrior by Premcar. It’s a Patrol that is second-stage engineered for Australians, in Australia.
“While we like to think of the Patrol as legendary, so too are all of its owners, for it’s their stories, memories and adventures that have shaped the legend of Patrol in Australia, and continue to do so today.”
Nissan’s Y63 Patrol is on the way, but it’s not due to come here until 2027.
Powering the Y63 will be a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6, producing 317kW of power and 700Nm of torque – a healthy increase on the Y62’s 298kW/560Nm outputs.
Additional headline changes include a nine-speed automatic transmission, standard air suspension and the most advanced cabin ever seen in a Patrol in Australia.
It’ll not only go up against the LandCruiser 300 Series but also the GMC Yukon, the Chevrolet Silverado’s SUV twin-under-the-skin, due to start deliveries this year.
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