Nissan Navara N-TREK coming

Nissan Australia has confirmed it will release a limited-edition Nissan Navara N-TREK within three months, and it will be followed by a hard-core dual-cab 4x4 ute inspired by Europe’s Arctic Trucks Navara AT32 by the end of this year.

No official information is available for either special Navara, but Nissan Australia has invited us to north Queensland in early August to drive the new Navara N-TREK, which it describes as “a tough special-edition ute that will go on sale at the same time as this event”.

Borrowing its name from added-value versions of the Nissan X-TRAIL, Pathfinder and Patrol SUVs in 2015, the N-TREK is the latest in a series of special-editions Navaras since the current D23 model was released in mid-2015, including the N-SPORT Black Edition and the existing ST Black Edition and SL Silverline.

Like them, the Navara N-TREK is expected to bring a host of genuine Nissan Navara accessories in addition to the generous equipment list of the ST-X flagship (from $52,750) on which it’s likely to be based.

The Nissan Navara N-TREK released in some European countries including Poland last year (pictured here in green) – based on that country’s N-Connect model -- could provide a guide to the make-up of Nissan Australia’s Navara N-TREK.

Available in white pearl and green metallic paint, Europe’s limited-edition 2018 Navara N-TREK featured a premium hard tonneau cover, protective cladding on the rear tray and tailgate, plastic tub liner, stainless steel rollover bar, special 18-inch alloy wheels and a premium infotainment touch-screen.

There were no changes to the Navara’s 140kW/450Nm four-cylinder turbo-diesel, seven-speed automatic transmission or selectable 4x4 drivetrain.

Later this year, however, Nissan Australia will release an off-road focussed Navara with mechanical upgrades courtesy of a top-flight automotive engineering company in Melbourne.

Once again, no official details have been released, but Nissan Australia has made no secret of its desire to offer a 'proper tough-truck' in the same vein as the Arctic Trucks Navara AT32 (pictured here in red and white), which we drove in Morocco late last year.

Like direct rivals such as the circa-$62K Toyota HiLux Rugged X, the Nissan Navara ‘AT32’ will feature a host of off-road-ready upgrades, perhaps including a front differential lock, increased ride height, underbody protection, a snorkel and chunkier wheels and tyres.

Once again, the best indication of possible upgrades could come from Europe’s Navara AT32 developed by 4x4 specialist Arctic Trucks, which was founded in Iceland in 1990 but now supplies a range of hard-core off-road components for a number of models via production facilities throughout Europe.

Based on the black-themed Navara N-Guard, which joined Europe’s chrome-look flagship Tekna model grade in August 2018, the AT32 offers a mild (20mm) suspension lift, while 32-inch all-terrain tyres on unique 17-inch alloys add a further 20mm of ride height, increasing ground clearance by 40mm (to 244mm) and improving approach, ramp-over and departure angles by three degrees respectively.

Comprehensive underbody protection, wheel-arch flares and AT32 badging are standard, alongside the option of a front differential lock to complement the standard rear diff lock, and a snorkel that raises the Navara’s wading depth from 600mm to 800mm.

Like the N-TREK, the AT32 retains the Navara’s standard 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel, but is available with a six-speed manual gearbox – as should Nissan Australia as-yet-unnamed Navara tough-truck.

While the Arctic Trucks AT32 is based on the European Navara built in Spain, Australia’s Navara is produced in Thailand and rides on bespoke locally tuned suspension.

That presents a number of mechanical, logistical and financial issues that prevent it being sold here, hence Nissan Australia’s decision to outsource the conversion of a similar model locally.