Nissan has revealed the seventh-generation Patrol could be fast-tracked for Australia due to external influences (and some internal favours).
It is still officially set to launch locally in “late 2026” as per earlier remarks from Nissan executives back at the new Y63 version’s unveiling last September, but the long-awaited 4WD could come as soon as by the middle of next year.
According to Nissan Oceania Vice President and Managing Director, Andrew Humberstone, the effect of tariffs in the United States and other geo-political-fuelled sales roadblocks could open the door for an earlier Australian release for the Japanese built full-sized rival to the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and smaller Prado 250 Series.
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“There is a very strong demand for the new Patrol in the Middle East and the United States,” he told CarsGuide.
“(But) let's see what happens with tariffs. You know, if that becomes more of a challenge (for Nissan) then let's see whether that sounds advantageous to us.
“And I’ve already put my hand up if it is.”
Helping Humberstone’s team is the support of some Nissan global high-ups, some who have visited Australia to see for themselves the tasks required to keep growing the business after worrying sales falls earlier this decade.
“We had Leon (Dorssers, Senior Vice President S&M for Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania – or AMIEO – region) out here two or three times,” he said.
“We had Guillaume Cartier (Chief Performance Officer, Chairperson, Management Committee for AMIEO) out here. We shared the strategy paper with him. We told him what the challenges were.”
Nissan has been busy launching the Y63 in the highest-volume left-hand-drive (LHD) Middle Eastern and North American markets (in the latter as the Armada, not Patrol).
Now, with those regions addressed, attention has turned to prioritising the larger right-hand-drive (RHD) markets, with Australia leading the pack.
“We are the first RHD market in the world to launch the product,” Humberstone revealed.
“There is no delay, and it's just you often see this with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). I speak from my experience with others… that RHD will follow LHD markets because of scale.”
This means Australia is set to get the new Patrol ahead of other sizeable RHD countries like the United Kingdom, South Africa and even Japan, underlining our importance to the success of the big 4WD.
The Y63’s is new from-the-ground-up, but the completely redesigned and more-aerodynamic body sits on an identical 3075mm wheelbase.
It’s the same height as before at 1955mm, but the newcomer is a considerable 175mm longer (5350mm) and 355mm wider (2030mm) compared to non-Warrior versions of the outgoing Y62, and boasts wider tracks to boot.
The petrol-only powered Y63 famously ditches its predecessor’s formidable, 298kW/560Nm 5.6-litre V8, for an evolution of the equally-revered V6 found in the punchy Nissan Z sports car (and GT-R supercar), but no hybrid or diesel options are in sight for now.
Based on the beloved VQ series, this 317kW/700Nm 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 is the most powerful production engine Nissan has ever offered, and drives both the rear or all four wheels on demand via a nine-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.
It is said to be almost 25 per cent more economical as well.
In 2024, some 8293 Patrols were registered for a 33.7% share of its VFACTS segment, an impressive 6.2% increase, compared to the bestselling LandCruiser 300’s 15,257 sales, which were up just 1.5%, albeit for a commanding 62.1% market share.
Why impressive? That was a sales record for a generation that debuted globally during 2010 (though early 2013 in Australia).
With an appetite for full-sized 4WD wagons like that to tap into, the Y63 cannot come soon enough for Nissan.
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