Is the 2025 Nissan X-Trail Warrior next? Is a Nissan Qashqai Warrior Line possible? What might come next post Navara and Patrol for ex-FPV specialists Premcar

What’s next for the Warrior brand?

After the commercial success of the Navara Warrior and positive initial reaction to the Y62 Patrol Warrior, Nissan and the vehicle engineering and niche manufacturing firm responsible for the transformation, Premcar, are investigating a number of projects to expand both the business and sub-brand.

According to Nissan Australia managing director, Adam Paterson, the Patrol Warrior’s long-term acceptance is the litmus test to the direction it takes with developing off-road-focused versions of future models within the company’s broad vehicle portfolio.

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“First, production has to begin in full steam for Patrol”, he told CarsGuide at the Patrol Warrior launch in Tasmania back in September.

“And then there will be a few things happening. We’ll be monitoring the performance of this launch, see what customers are looking for, and then determine what the next generation might look like.”

If the Patrol Warrior proves popular, it could lead to export opportunities for Premcar in Melbourne making the modification kits for fitment.

“There is a lot of interest and support with the success of the program,” Paterson said.

“It started with Navara, hence the OK to get the go-ahead with Patrol, which is the biggest collaboration to date as the engineering that went into this is far more complicated than in Navara… and there is appetite to look at these types of projects in other markets.”

Moving beyond Navara and Patrol, when asked whether smaller SUV or crossover models within Nissan’s range like X-Trail, Qashqai, Pathfinder or even Juke might receive some sort of Warrior-style treatment in the future, Paterson said that nothing is off the table.

“We’re always analysing what opportunities there may be for Warrior models or Warrior editions,” he revealed. “That’s next-gen of either of Patrol or Navara, or if we look elsewhere in the range.”

Nissan Australia senior product manager, Matthew Baily, added that there has to be a consumer call for such models before the company commits.

“We are regularly looking at things all the time, and it ultimately comes down to market opportunity, the investment, what we can achieve, and ultimately if the customer demand is there,” he said.

However, Paterson is adamant that it will not undermine or undersell the Warrior’s reputation by applying it to vehicles or models that are not worthy of its core pillars: ‘Enhanced Capability, Road Presence, the Perfect Soundtrack and Superb Refinement’.

“We’re building on the Warrior brand, it’s not a badge,” Paterson said. “It’s not just about a graphics pack or something along those lines. The market opportunity has to present itself then we can put the Warrior program on it. Nissan has a performance line – we have Nismo; so, if that’s what we were after for street performance, that’s what that brand is for.

“If it can deliver on the Warrior brand inviolables and there is a market to get the program off the ground. There is a large investment on this program and it doesn’t pay off on 50 units, so you have to build on the business case to make it work.”

One thing is for certain. Premcar Engineering Director, Bernie Quinn, intends to nurture and grow the relationship and business with Nissan moving forward.

“We can’t talk about future product, but I think what’s happening with us and Nissan is quite exciting,” he said, “in that we’ve done well collectively as a team to establish this Warrior brand.

“We’re making a conscious effort to bring the Warrior brand to the forefront of the product – in other words, more Warrior branding on the bash plate and that sort of thing to push that brand.

“And I think it’s becoming a kind of a consideration for anything in the Nissan line-up that could fit those branding (pillars), and I expect any future releases it would at least be considered… we’ve put ourselves in the line-up as a consideration.

“The other thing is, we have proven the model of using the Warrior brand and Premcar to enable the development and release of niche vehicle variants.

“We did it for many years with Ford, and it was a successful model for Ford to have the XR6 separating the Falcon from the taxis and sales rep’s cars.

“So, Nissan has caught on to that as well, and that gets the attention of Nissan in the region in the very least, so I hope if I look into the crystal ball, that we’re not just doing cars in Australia in five or 10 years’ time, that we’re strengthening this relationship and bringing it to other markets and on other products.”

Quinn added that – with an enviable performance/muscle car past with Ford and a head-first dive into electric vehicles (EVs) moving forward, Premcar isn’t just about off-road SUVs and utes.

“Premcar is not exclusively a 4x4 specialist,” he said. “We did all those cars for Ford over all those years which were not 4x4, but the market has gone to 4x4s, SUVs and pick-ups as being the most popular vehicles in the market, so we’ve gone with that.

“(But) we’re also doing a lot of work in the EV space for other companies, and we’re deliberately developing that capability so we can remain relevant in 2035 or 2040 when you cannot buy a diesel pick-up truck any more. So, we have to keep our skills our capabilities up to progress with the market.

“So, the point I’m trying to make is, if they throw me something else, we definitely have the skills and the capabilities sin the business to do it from an engineering or a manufacturing point of view. It could be a completely different brand name or type.”

Do you think the Pathfinder, X-Trail, Qashqai or Juke deserve the Warrior treatment? Let us know in the comments below.