CHICAGO MOTOR SHOW: Nissan upgrades Patrol

Nissan has revealed a revised version of North America's Armada SUV, which is sold in Australia as the Patrol, ahead of its world debut at this week's Chicago motor show.

The 2017 Armada goes on sale in the US mid-year and could preview similar changes for the Patrol available here, but at this stage Nissan Australia is saying there is "nothing planned" for its biggest SUV.

Changes for the MY17 Armada are reasonably extensive and include fresh exterior and interior design elements and, for the US, an upgraded 390hp (290kW) 5.6-litre 'Endurance' petrol V8 with Direct Injection Gas (DIG) and Variable Valve Event & Lift (VVEL), matched to a seven-speed automatic.

The powertrain replaces the current Armada's 236kW 5.6-litre V8 and five-speed auto, but Australia's Patrol already comes with a 298kW/560Nm version of the more advanced drivetrain, capable of towing 3600kg.

Cosmetically, there are revised headlights with LED low beams, a fresh grille, new front bumper with more aggressive lower 'skid plate' and contrasting wheel-arch flares, plus a host of safety systems already standard on Australia's top-shelf Patrol Ti-L.

They include Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Distance Control Alert (DCA), Lane Departure Warning and Prevention (LDW & LDP), and Blind Spot Warning and Intervention (BSW & BSI).

In addition, the US model – which is available in both 2WD and 4WD configurations -- offers Predictive Forward Collision Warning (PFCW) and Backup Collision Intervention (BCI).

Nissan Australia launched the latest Y62 Patrol in February 2013, when its then-MD said it would sell "hundreds a month", but slow sales forced it to slash pricing by up to $27,500 in July 2015.

The same month, it introduced the Y62 Patrol's sister model, the Infiniti QX80, priced from $110,900 – significantly less than its only direct competitor in the Lexus LX 570.

As we reported in August 2015, Nissan's old Y61 Patrol will be discontinued after an 18-year production run by the end of this year due to new Euro 5 emissions standard in effect from November, but it could eventually be replaced by an all-new NP300 Navara ute-based off-road wagon in the spirit of the previous-generation Pathfinder.

Nissan will also use the Chicago show to unveil one-off 'Winter Warrior' concept versions of its Pathfinder, Murano and Rogue, featuring heavy-duty track systems with custom matt-black finish frames.