As the Hardbody was to the Toyota Pickup, as the 300ZX was to the Supra, so too is the Nissan Patrol to the Toyota Land Cruiser. And the thing just got a new face in its new spiritual home: the Middle East.
The Patrol got a new look officially today, debuted in the UAE, and it really is just a facelift. The top engine is still the old VK56, the 5.6-liter V8 that, among other things, powered Chris Forsberg’s Formula Drift program for many years before he switched to VQ and VR six-cylinders.
The press event seemed very Middle East-focused, which makes sense if you ever find yourself over there. Plenty of these things fill the roads, like Beverly Hills gone rogue. From Nissan’s press release:
“The Patrol is one of our longest-standing and most cherished models, with a long and proud heritage,” said Joni Paiva, regional vice president of the Africa, Middle East and India region at Nissan. The new Nissan Patrol represents the peak of luxury and ultimate capability and will continue to provide authentic experiences to its loyal customers in the Middle East and around the world.”
Engineered from the wheels up to tackle the most demanding driving conditions on the planet, over the years the Nissan Patrol has more than earned its reputation. The Patrol can provide the same outstanding level of comfort cruising on the highway in Dubai or negotiating rocky mountain terrain.
If indeed, you’re looking at that number and feeling a strange sense of deja vu, the Infiniti QX56 (now the Infiniti Q80) is indeed just a luxury version of the Patrol. For the past few years, though, we’ve gotten a federalized version of the Patrol itself, called the Armada. Let’s check in on the 2020 Armada shall we?
Ah.
Oh.
It looks the same.
I asked Nissan’s American wing if we were going to get the updated face of the foreign Patrol here in America at some point, but got a fairly standard “we cannot comment on future product.” But after a minute, I did get a somewhat more broad response:
“They are close, but not identical.
These models are aiming different target audiences with different needs, preferences and lifestyle and even though they share similar common architecture and powertrain options they are not the same.”
Well, I can’t say if we will or won’t get the updated Patrol face, but we should. I love these things, ever since I went flying through the air in one.
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