Patrol Warrior to remain Australian specific

AUSTRALIAN engineering firm Premcar says the recently revealed Armada Pro-4X badged version of the forthcoming Y63-series Patrol shown in the United States will differ considerably from the version that will be offered to Australian customers when sales commence in the final quarter of 2026.

While reluctant to comment on specific upgrades to Australian-converted Y63 Patrol Warrior models, Premcar Australia director Bernie Quinn told GoAuto the needs of Australian customers vary considerably to those in other markets, making the local model something of a ‘bespoke’ proposition.

“When looking at the Pro-4X against the Warrior, there is quite a bit of difference in terms of what we call the brand DNA,” he stated.

“Very basically, the brand DNA for the Warrior is about adding off-road capability without sacrificing on-road capability, comfort, and refinement.

“The Warrior branding adds with it half-a-dozen or more non-negotiable elements that make it a Warrior – and we are very deliberate in that because we don’t want badge-engineered Warriors.”

Mr Quinn said Australian Warrior-branded vehicles would continue to offer a level of capability and ruggedness for which they have become known, suggesting any short-cutting or ‘sticker pack’ alternative is simply not an option.

“We don’t want to be putting Warrior branding on something that doesn’t deserve the Warrior brand name,” he emphasised.

“Everything we do – especially with the Warrior program – is about long-term, gradual success over an extended period.”

While Mr Quinn was not prepared to comment on the status of development for the next-generation Patrol Warrior, he said the modifications offered would differ considerably from those of the US Armada Pro-4X leveraging both Premcar’s relationship with Nissan and its local skill base to produce a vehicle that is ‘very specifically’ targeted at Australian buyers.

“I can tell you without hesitation that it will be very different to what the American customer wants, to what a Middle Eastern customer wants, a South African customer, and so on,” he said.

“Australian buyers have a very specific use case, so the final spec will be different, it has to be different.

“We see it as our responsibility to ensure the vehicle is made suitable for those various markets – and predominantly for the Australian market.”

The Y63-series Nissan Patrol was unveiled globally in September of last year, with left-hand drive markets prioritised for initial deliveries.

The vehicle is larger again than the Y62 – growing 35mm in both width and length – and is powered exclusively by a choice of two V6 petrol engines: a naturally aspirated 3.8-litre or a twin-turbocharged 3.5.

The latter is expected to make its way Down Under with an output figure of 317kW/700Nm likely.

Power will be delivered to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission (with paddle shifters) and two-speed transfer case. A rear differential lock it also mooted as standard.

Interestingly, the next-generation Patrol will retain hydraulic steering assistance and is said to offer improved approach and departure angles alongside standard air suspension, giving Premcar a sufficient off-road base from which to work. Up to 70mm of ride height adjustment is available alongside a standard wading depth of 700mm.

Inside, the more luxurious new Patrol will include a desirable suite of NissanConnect functions, an infrared biometric climate control system covering all three seat rows, and dual 14.3-inch touchscreens combining for an expansive 28.6-inch dashboard display.

The range-topper is expected to feature pneumatic massage seats, head-up display, and a range of Google-based connectivity features including Google Maps and Google Assistant with cloud-based voice recognition for speech interpretation.

The Y63-series Nissan Patrol is not expected to arrive in local showrooms until late 2026 or early 2027 with Premcar enhanced Warrior models expected sometime later.