Nissan used to dominate Australia’s off-road racing championship with the Patrol, and it’s taken inspiration from other events to create this: the Dune Patrol.
Built for this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, the Nissan Dune Patrol takes the new Y63 Patrol – sold in the US as the Armada – and turns it into the “ultimate, ultra-comfortable support vehicle for the most extreme off-road events”.
Based on the already off-road focused Armada Pro-4X, it has received a number of custom or off-the-shelf Nismo parts to enhance its capability on the rough stuff.
This includes custom CJD Racing suspension with up to 40cm of travel, thanks to Bilstein coilovers at the front and rear, completely new control arms, brake lines and shock towers.
The new suspension sits under a reworked exterior, complete with FiberWerx Prerunner-inspired widened wheel-arches and quarter panels, a Nismo prototype high-clearance front and rear bumpers, roof rack, rock sliders, A-pillar mounts, antenna mounts, and a custom wrap.
Filling the fatter guards are a set of prototype 18-inch Nismo off-road Axis beadlock wheels, wrapped in 37-inch Yokohama Geolander MT G003 tyres.
Extra equipment has been added to the cabin too, including an integrated air-on-board compressor system, custom MOLLE panels to hold off-road essentials, and genuine Nissan floor mats, door scuff pads and seatback organisers.
No changes have been made to its twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, continuing to make 317kW and 700Nm, though a Nismo exhaust has been fitted.
While it’s unlikely we’ll see the Dune Patrol become a factory-backed offering, many of its parts may end up on the aftermarket.
Australian firm Premcar, responsible for the current Y62 Patrol Warrior, has also recently worked with Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti, culminating in the QX80 Terrain Spec which was revealed in August as an off-road focused version of the Patrol’s premium twin.
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