The Nissan Patrol Y62 from concept car to Armada and Nismo

The sixth-generation Nissan Patrol, code Y62, went into production in 2010 as a body-on-frame off-roader. It stayed body-on-frame, took a 5.6-litre V8, and spawned Armada, Nismo and luxury Infiniti versions.

Where did the Y62 come from?

Unofficial accounts treat the Terranaut concept as the forerunner of the sixth-generation Patrol. It was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2006 as a three-seat mobile laboratory. The company said platform work began in 2004 and body work in 2006, and the chief designer was Taiji Toyota.

The Terranaut had two hinged doors on the driver's side with no centre pillar between them, and only one door on the passenger side. Its rear row and boot were replaced by a laboratory table and a projector screen, with a single seat beside it. A dome in the roof let light into the laboratory.

Its transmission had a low-range gear and forced differential locks. The 19-inch tyres were made by a tyre maker and claimed to be puncture-protected, with treads that could be set for road or off-road use through a tyre-pressure system.

Photographs of the new Patrol surfaced after a visitor to a closed presentation posted them online on 17 December 2008. Several publications noted that the design was partly copied from the Terranaut, and it was described as controversial. Camouflaged test cars followed in November 2009 on roads in the United Arab Emirates.

A Russian publication suggested the model would get a three-litre diesel with 265 PS or a petrol unit with 350 PS. It was already clear that the new generation would not be sold in European markets, where the Pathfinder would fill the niche.

Still a body-on-frame off-roader underneath, the Y62 traded plastic trim for soft leather.

How did the design change from the previous Patrol?

The sixth generation dropped the rectangular look of its predecessors. Its body changed radically and grew in size, and the massive Nissan radiator grille was the only clear link to the past. The structure stayed body-on-frame, and the designers measured themselves against the Toyota Land Cruiser 200, launched in 2007.

The cabin grew as well. A third row of seats became standard for the first time in the model's history, and plastic trim gave way to soft leather with wood and aluminium inserts. Second-row legroom increased by 100 mm, and folding the third row lengthened the boot by 40 cm.

Some of the touches were unusual. A cool box sits between the front seats with a lid that doubles as an armrest, and two LCD monitors are built into the front headrests. Ducts in the roof blow cool air along the side windows, an 'air curtain' that reduces the heating of the cabin.

What engine did the Y62 use?

The core engine was a 5.6-litre V8, model VK56VD, rated at 400 PS (298 kW) with 560 Nm of torque. It combined VVEL variable valve timing and lift control with direct injection, and it was paired with a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

Four-wheel drive offered four modes for sand, road, rocks and snow. The car also had an electronic rear differential lock, hill start assistance and hill descent control.

Trim levels in the Middle East were XE, SE, LE and City Package. Australia offered the Ti and Ti-L interiors, and the ST-L was previously available.

Key specifications at a glance

How did the Patrol sell in Russia and abroad?

Sales began in the Philippines in July 2010 at 5,375,000 pesos, where the model was called the Patrol Royale. Russian sales started at the end of summer 2010 at 3,060,000 roubles, and China followed in November 2011 at 1,390,000 yuan.

The Patrol was shown to Australian buyers at the Sydney motor show in October 2010. The local range was petrol only, even though diesel had been the best seller there. The previous generation kept selling alongside the new model until 2016.

Assembly took place at Nissan's plant in Saint Petersburg from 2012 until 31 May 2014, under an agreement with the Russian Ministry of Economic Development. Production in Lagos, Nigeria, began in April 2014, making Nissan the first major carmaker to build locally after the Nigerian government adopted a plan to develop its car industry.

In June 2017 Nissan announced an end to Patrol supplies from Japan to Russia. The company cited a strategy focused on crossovers built in the country, but weak sales during the 2008-2010 and 2014-2016 crises and competition from the Land Cruiser 200 had hurt the Patrol. In November 2022 reports appeared of post-2019 cars, including the Nismo, being sold through parallel imports from the UAE at 6.8 to 9.4 million roubles.

What changed with the facelifts?

The first facelift came in January 2014. A horizontal-bar grille replaced the hexagonal honeycomb, the front bumper and headlights were revised with LEDs, and the infotainment system and interior materials were upgraded.

The larger update came in September 2019. The front end was fully reworked, with new headlights and boomerang-shaped rear lights. Cabin soundproofing improved, and smartphone integration was added.

What was the Armada, and how did it differ?

The Armada was a reworked Patrol Y62 for North America, shown at the Chicago auto show in February 2016. The main differences were the bumpers, radiator grille, wheel-arch trim and wheels, and an option replaced the second row with two separate seats and a walkway.

Launch prices ran from 44,000 to 59,900 dollars, and the cars were assembled in Japan. Engine power fell from 405 PS to 395 PS at the start. The 2021 facelift raised output to 400 PS, added a 12.3-inch infotainment display and a 7-inch screen between the instruments, and introduced a new base trim called S.

Was there a luxury version of the Patrol?

A luxury version, the Infiniti QX56 with code Z62, was developed alongside the regular Patrol. It was shown at the New York auto show in April 2010 and became the QX80 from 2013.

The 2012 Russian assembly agreement covered several Infiniti cars, including the QX56, alongside the Patrol.

What did the Patrol Nismo add?

The Patrol Nismo was a sporting version for GCC markets, developed by the Nismo tuning studio. It was shown in Dubai in October 2015 alongside the GT-R Nismo and 370Z Nismo, which were then the only three Nismo models presented in the Middle East.

Under the bonnet was a modified 5.6-litre V8 with 428 PS (319 kW), developed by a specialist engine firm. The model also received forged 22-inch wheels, dampers, a Zero-Lift aerodynamic package with modified bumpers and sills, body reinforcements and optimised steering.

The April 2021 update gave the Nismo a revised front end and a new rear bumper, with aluminium wheels 4.5 kg lighter on 275/60 R22 tyres. Power rose to 434 PS, and the price started at 385,000 UAE dirhams. A 2022 update added a 12.3-inch centre display and a new logo, with the price rising to 389,900 dirhams.

Which special editions were built?

The Patrol VVIP, earlier called the Patrol Black Special Edition, went on sale in the Middle East in May 2014. It had a dark grey body colour and red seat upholstery, cost 350,000 UAE dirhams, and 200 were produced.

The Patrol Desert Edition was shown at the Dubai Motor Show on 10 November 2015. It was developed with Mohammed bin Sulayem, a UAE Rally champion and president of the Automobile and Touring Club UAE. It had different wheels, arch trim, 'Desert Edition' and 'MBS' badges, retuned suspension, and a cabin button to change tyre pressure.

A version marking the model's 70th anniversary appeared at the Expo 2020 exhibition in Dubai in December 2021. It carried a special badge and slightly modified exterior details.