Nissan 4WD demonstration
Nissan reminds us it's a proud 4WD company with an off-road exercise at Victoria's rugged Mount HothamNissan's manufacture of mainstream four-wheel drive vehicles spans over half a century. In Australia, a G60 Patrol short wheelbase model was used to cross the Simpson Desert in 1962 as part of one of many significant expeditions led by geologist Dr Reginald Sprigg.
Next year Nissan Australia is staging a re-enactment of the original 12-day trek to commemorate its 50th anniversary. In preparation we took part in a 4WD familiarisation program featuring the Nissan Patrol, Pathfinder and X-TRAIL models at Mount Hotham.
Four Wheel Drive Victoria offers programs for novices, covering valuable offroad advice like how to manage river crossings, avoid vehicle damage and punctures, and in the worst case scenario, how to winch your car out of trouble using a manual unit (and a lot of energy!) The Victorian offroad outfit also provides tuition for women-only groups.
Four Wheel Drive Victoria promotes "driving in a sustainable environment". Spokesmen explained the significance of sticking to the tracks; most of them established during the gold mining era and now allowed to vehicles and state forest caretakers.
We drove the Pathfinder Ti 550 for most part of the Mount Hotham route, taking in windy gravel roads to gold mining ghost-town Talbotville, then steep, rocky ascents and descents, and 22 river crossings. The Pathy easily kept up to the Patrols and the 4WD X-TRAILs behind us didn't have any trouble, either.
Nissan Australia's re-enactment of the Simpson Desert crossing will be a lot more comfortable in its latest range of offroaders than the Sprigg family and friends endured, 50 years ago. The G60 'soft top' was based on the military-spec 1951 Patrol and for Sprigg's use was equipped with a 4.0-litre straight six-cylinder engine and three-speed dual-range transmission. It was accompanied by two Toyota LandCruisers, which reputedly failed to finish the expedition and were left behind.
If anyone knows the whereabouts of Sprigg's Patrol, tell Nissan Australia. The company is currently on a "country-wide search" to find it in time for the 50th anniversary celebrations. And if any of our readers have crossed the Simpson Desert, please forward your tips and advice...
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