No, this isn’t a late April Fools’ prank. This, ladies and gents, is the new Nissan Patrol Nismo, and it has just been unveiled in the Middle East.
This is based on the refreshed Patrol—the one that isn’t in our market yet. It sports the whole Nismo look quite nicely, with a honeycomb three-dimensional mesh V-Motion grille adorned with the Nismo badge.
A good dose of matte chrome and red trim are sprinkled around the exterior. Those red accents on the front and rear bumpers as well as the side skirts also give the Patrol a beefier look.
A new roof spoiler has been added at the rear to improve both design and performance. Meanwhile, underneath, the Patrol has been given 22-inch two-tone Nismo wheels. A Bilstein suspension setup with a distinct yellow finish is also fitted here for improved handling (and some subtle highlights).
Inside, more Nismo styling can be found. Dual-tone Alcantara seats, red carbon-fiber interior trim, and a plethora of soft-touch materials are available. An abundance of red stitching adds further contrast to the interior.
There’s also an Apple Carplay-/Android Auto-compatible infotainment system paired with a 13-speaker Bose premium sound system. Simply put, the Patrol Nismo’s cabin is a hefty upgrade from the already premium interior of the regular Patrol.
Under the hood, the Patrol Nismo packs a familiar V8. This specific powerplant, though, has been tuned to produce 428hp, up by 28hp from the standard V8. Maximum torque is still at 560Nm.
Of course, Nissan’s patented Intelligent Mobility system comes as standard in the Patrol Nismo. Features like adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, emergency brake assist with pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keep assist are available. An intelligent rear-view mirror and a 360-degree view monitor are also equipped here.
The Middle East just gets all the fun, doesn’t it? You may recall the refreshed Terra (aka the X-Terra) also made its debut in this region a while back. Anyway, what do you think of the Patrol Nismo? Does this have a place in our market?