Nissan Australia's MD acknowledges the importer needs a diesel variant to complement its upcoming P61G Patrol range, but the question remains what will that engine be?
"Certainly, as it's always been, for many, many years [there's] the recognition that we need a diesel to do good volumes in this market, particularly," said Dan Thompson, speaking with motoring.com.au earlier this week. Thompson outlined that Australia's position as a smaller market for the Patrol was hindering the local push for a diesel version.
"As we've probably [mentioned] many times, it's a one-man fight in this particular product for diesel, because the other two big markets — being the US and the Middle East — have no interest in diesel whatsoever. Patrol as a whole is a big fight for us, just to secure the product..."
However, according to Thompson, the importer is not going to be deterred from introducing the new Patrol — due near the end of next year, we believe — merely due to the lack of a diesel alternative.
"There's a lot going on behind the scenes for Patrol, for diesel, but we're not by any means... discouraged from launching just the petrol Patrol when we do so next year," he said.
The Nissan exec hinted that a source for a suitable diesel powerplant for the Patrol could be Daimler AG, which has entered into an agreement with Renault and Nissan for the supply of large-displacement diesel engines.
"We couldn't be more thrilled to be where we're at now, obviously coming closer and closer to launching Patrol. It's a fabulous product... and behind the scenes even [provoked] a bit of a rebirth with the Daimler discussions — with what's out there — and also with the V6 that's in the Navara and the Pathfinder, the V9X.
"That's been studied probably 10 different times, but obviously [the V9X engine] has been much more successful globally than I think anyone ever imagined, so there's even a rebirth in discussions around that, as far as making investments in the future."
Those investments will be aimed at ensuring the V9X remains viable in a near future of increasingly draconian emissions legislation for diesels.
"You've got all the [Euro 5 and Euro 6] considerations," said Thompson, "so every three to six months, something's changing."
Until a viable diesel for the P61G eventuates, expect Nissan to stock up on the current Patrol with the aging 3.0-litre engine and keep that on sale beyond the introduction of the new model, as reported previously.
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