New Nissan Navara and Patrol Warrior yet to be locked in

The Nissan Warrior program has been one of the Australian outpost’s most successful strategies in the past decade, giving locally engineered, off-road focused versions of the Navara and Patrol to the market.

Established in 2019 with the Navara N-Trek Warrior, local engineering firm Premcar – formerly known for its work as Ford Performance Vehicles – has since launched multiple Warrior iterations of the Navara ute, as well as the Patrol SUV.

However, we’re yet to see what the future holds for the Nissan and Premcar partnership, amid a period of product changeovers for Nissan in Australia.

This year the new D27-generation Nissan Navara – twinned with the Mitsubishi Triton – has gone on sale in Australia and New Zealand, featuring a revised suspension tune which was developed by Premcar.

While Premcar revealed its D27 Navara Warrior Concept in November last year, there’s still no timeline on when – or if – it will reach showrooms.

Likewise, the current V8-powered Y62-generation Nissan Patrol is currently in run-out, with the Warrior – one of its three variants – a part of its impending departure from showrooms, ahead of the arrival of the new Y63 Patrol.

Speaking to Torquecafe, Nissan Oceania managing director Steve Milette said future Warrior products are yet to be confirmed, despite the recent success of the program.

“[It’s still a] work in process, I would say, so there's nothing to confirm,” said Milette. 

“The last of the V8s Patrol campaign is doing quite well, but with the Warrior philosophy we continue to work with Prempar and at what opportunities could we look at for the future, with the optics of Australians love serious off-road capable vehicles.”

When asked whether the new Patrol’s Pro-4X grade – which is more off-road focused than the more on-road biased variants – impacts on the business case for a Y63 Patrol Warrior, corporate communications senior manager Angus Thompson said we’d “have to wait and see what’s going to come”.

In May, the Navara’s Triton twin received Premcar upgrades in the form of the Triton Raider, representing the first time the brand had worked with a non-Nissan marque since its most recent formation.

Milette has previously said the Triton Raider wouldn’t take sales away from the upcoming Navara Warrior, claiming his brand’s product will sit above Mitsubishi’s.

“I think we have a pretty broad portfolio with Navara,” he said in May. “I think our Pro-4X sits where their product is. Yeah, I think we’re ok.” 

At the time, Torquecafe asked Milette whether Nissan had a problem with Premcar working with Mitsubishi, to which the executive replied, “that’s a great question”.

“On both sides, I think they [Premcar] are free to do what they need to do,” Milette added.

“We all have our opportunities, as an OEM or as a provider, so that’s really up to them.”

While a Y63 Patrol Warrior has yet to be penciled in or hinted at, Premcar has form with the upcoming SUV, last year building the QX80 Terrain Spec for Nissan’s luxury brand, Infiniti.

Jacked up with new wheels and all-terrain tyres, it also featured wheel-arch flairs, side steps, a rooftop-mounted pop-up tent and light bar, plus more underbody protection, previewing upgrades which could eventually be seen on a new Patrol Warrior.