Nissan Patrol celebrates 70 years

The Nissan Patrol has racked up 70 years of service, which makes the Japanese brand’s flagship SUV one of the longest-running continuous nameplates in the world.

As buyer demand for the current sixth-generation Y62 model continues to outstrip supply, Nissan Australia has racked up more than 238,000 sales of the venerable Patrol since its launch in 1961 – 10 years after its debut in Japan.

Initially sold here as the second-generation G60 Datsun Patrol in the early 1960s, Nissan says Australia played an important role in the model’s heritage as one of the first international markets to sell the Patrol outside of Japan, where it was released in 1951 as the 4W60.

The 4W60 was sold exclusively in the Japanese domestic market, powered by a 56kW 3.7-litre inline six-cylinder petrol engine that was mated to a four-speed manual gearbox with part-time four-wheel drive.

In Australia, our first Patrol brought a more powerful 92kW 4.0-litre inline six and was available in wagon, soft-top and cab-chassis body style.

Nissan says one the Patrol’s earliest and most significant achievements was posted in September 1962, when geologist Reg Sprigg and his family became the first to cross the Simpson Desert in a motor vehicle – the G60.

The G60 soldiered on largely unchanged for around two decades. It was finally replaced in 1980 with the MQ Patrol, which was available as a short-wheelbase hard-top model with removable roof while the longer wheelbase enabled a broad range of wagon, cab-chassis and pick-up variants.

The MQ was also offered at launch in both (2.8-litre) petrol and, for the first time, (3.3-litre) diesel powertrain options, and was the first Patrol offered with an automatic transmission – a three-speed unit offered only on the top-spec Deluxe Wagon.

Four years later, the first turbo-diesel engine for Patrol was also ushered in for the MQ, which picked up the SD33T six-cylinder.

In 1987, the GQ Patrol arrived with all-coil-spring suspension and the choice of an all-new 4.2-litre six-cylinder petrol or diesel engine, mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed auto.

That same year, the GQ Patrol was the first diesel-powered vehicle to finish the 13,000km Paris-Dakar rally, finishing ninth overall.

Among a variety of other motorsport successes, the Patrol went on to take four outright victories in the Australasian Safari: 1992 (Reg Owen), 1993 (Ian Swan), 1995 (Doug Manwaring) and 2003 (John Herderics).

For Aussie buyers, Nissan expanded the GQ range in 1990 with a 3.0-litre RB30 petrol six (related to the Nissan Skyline sedan), and again in 1995 with a 2.8-litre oil-burner.

In 1997, the GU Patrol was launched, bringing significant improvements across the range and two powertrain options: an updated 2.8-litre turbo-diesel six (now with electronic fuel injection and an intercooler) and a revised 4.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol six.

A turbo version of the latter arrived a couple of years later, while an all-new ZD30 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four kicked in during 2000. Not stopping there, Nissan increased the capacity of the petrol six to 4.8 litres in 2001, and with 185kW (and 420Nm) the GU Patrol stood as the most powerful model in its class.

Today’s sixth-generation Y62 Patrol arrived in 2014, brimming with tech and available only as a wagon with a 298kW/560Nm 5.6-litre petrol V8.

It’s currently offered in two trim levels – Ti and Ti-L – priced from $78,910 and $93,365 plus on-road costs respectively.

Nissan Australia’s new managing director, Adam Paterson, said the off-roader has played a huge part in the brand’s local success.

“The Patrol has been an integral part in the success of Nissan here in Australia, and over the same time has opened many new pathways for Australians to explore this rugged country thanks to its renowned off-road abilities and dependability,” he said.

“Patrol has been a constant presence for the brand in Australia and even pre-dates the official formation of Nissan Motor Company Australia in 1966.”

Nissan Patrol: Model by Model

Nissan 4W-Series 1951-1959
Body styles: Soft-top, wagon and fire truck
Engine: 3.7-litre inline six-cylinder petrol
Transmission: Four-speed manual

Datsun Patrol G60-Series 1959-1980
Body styles: SWB soft-top and wagon, LWB wagon, cab-chassis and pick-up
Engine: 4.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol
Transmission: Three-speed manual

Datsun-Nissan Patrol MQ-Series 1980-1987
Body styles: SWB soft-top and hard-top, LWB wagon, cab-chassis and pick-up
Engines: 2.8-litre inline six-cylinder petrol, 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder diesel, 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel, 4.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol
Transmissions: Four-speed manual, three-speed automatic

Nissan Patrol GQ-Series 1987-1997
Body styles: SWB hard-top, LWB wagon, cab-chassis and pick-up
Engine: 2.8-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel, 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol, 4.2-litre inline six-cylinder petrol, 4.2-litre inline six-cylinder diesel
Transmission: Five-speed manual, four-speed automatic

Nissan Patrol GU-Series 1997-2016
Body styles: LWB wagon and cab-chassis
Engines: 2.8-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel, 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, 4.2-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel, 4.8-litre inline six-cylinder petrol
Transmission: Five-speed manual, five-speed automatic

Nissan Patrol Y62-Series 2014-present
Body styles: LWB wagon
Engine: 5.6-litre V8 petrol
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic