Who: Nissan
What: An all-new Patrol
When: Next year (2025)
Why: To show LandCruiser who’s boss
Infiniti – to Nissan what Lexus is to Toyota – revealed its QX80 large luxury SUV at the New York Motor show last month, and while it’s intriguing enough on its own, there was an SUV elephant of sorts trying not to be spotted in the corner of the room.
That would be that of the all-new, seventh-generation Nissan Patrol.
READ MORE: Nissan’s Warrior to take on Toyota LandCruiser
The Infiniti QX80 is the luxury version of the new Patrol, which itself has not yet been revealed. But the release of the QX80 gives us plenty of clues about the next iteration of Nissan’s legendary large SUV, codenamed Y63 and set to take on LandCruiser in their decades-long battle of off-roading wills.
Due sometime next year (2025) including Australia, the Y63 Patrol is expected to be powered by a new, 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 offering outputs of 336kW/698Nm, a sizeable increase over the current 5.6-litre atmo V8’s 298kW/650Nm (even if we would quietly rue the loss of the bent-eight).
Notably that’s more than the current LandCruiser 300’s 227kW, which it derives from its 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel V6. Provided the new Patrol shares outputs with the QX80, the LandCruiser’s 700Nm would still pip it in the torque stakes by just 2Nm.
The new Patrol will grow in size and stature, while it’s expected to replace the ancient seven-speed automatic with a new nine-speed transmission.
The new QX80 offers height adjustable air suspension, dual 14.3-inch digital displays and a third 9.0-inch climate control touchscreen – all things that could potentially find their way into the new Patrol. In the higher grades such as Ti, at the very least.
READ MORE: Toyota plotting city-friendly electric LandCruiser
Shadowy teaser images from Nissan reveal C-clamp-style front Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) – almost a bit Ford Ranger-ish – and a full-width LED module at the rear. Which looks a bit Ford Everest-ish, we have to say…
The current, sixth-generation Y62 Patrol – called the Armada in the US – has been in production for nearly 15 years. Nissan executives have said the Patrol will live on into the electric age if need be, while there’s been no mention of any hybrid powertrains for now. Watch this space.
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