THE TOP OF AUSTRALIA’S OFF-ROAD SUV market is facing a reset with Nissan Australia today announcing it has given the green light for Premcar to develop and produce the newest model to join its successful Nissan Warrior program: the Patrol Warrior.
Following Nissan’s earlier announcement that its flagship Y62-series Patrol was under assessment to join its Australia-based Warrior enhancement program, today’s confirmation now gives Australian SUV buyers and off-road fans plenty of reasons to celebrate.
Wheel, tyre and suspension enhancements are set to feature in the Patrol Warrior’s forthcoming Australian engineering program, giving it even greater ground clearance, a wider stance and enhanced ride and handling, taking its already-famed off-road abilities and touring performance to new levels. These enhancements, along with the Patrol’s 298 kW/560 Nm 5.6-litre direct-injection V8 engine, will create the ultimate Warrior.
The Patrol Warrior program is expected to take around 12 months to complete before production commences at Premcar’s Epping (Victoria) manufacturing facility, the Australian production site where, since 2019, more than 3500 examples of the world’s toughest Navara have been built: the Navara N-TREK Warrior by Premcar, the Navara PRO- 4X Warrior by Premcar, and the Navara SL Warrior by Premcar.
The Patrol is the latest Nissan nameplate to join the company’s critically acclaimed Warrior model series, a Nissan-specific OEM-level new-vehicle enhancement program produced and delivered by Premcar. It involves creating market-specific versions of new-model Nissan vehicles using extensive automotive design and engineering development, which requires gruelling testing programs for prototype vehicles and components, government-mandated new-vehicle certification, and secondary vehicle manufacturing, all of it done by Premcar in Australia.
This latest new-vehicle enhancement program with Nissan is a significant force behind Premcar’s ongoing expansion-related investments in personnel, manufacturing facilities and production technologies.
“Nissan Australia’s confirmation of the Patrol Warrior program sends a big signal to Australia’s SUV buyers,” said Bernie Quinn, Engineering Director and Partner at Premcar. “The Y62-series Patrol is already a mighty vehicle and the engineering and enhancement program we have planned together will raise its impressive capabilities even further. It will also deliver another locally developed vehicle perfectly suited to Australian customers and conditions.
“Adding the Nissan Patrol Warrior to our body of work is a genuine distinction and will stand out amongst the more than 200,000 new vehicles we’ve developed and produced over the last 26 years.”
More details about the Nissan Patrol Warrior by Premcar are expected to be released closer to its local market release.