The Nissan Patrol is a series of off-road vehicles and full-size SUVs built in Japan since 1951 and sold throughout the world. It is Nissan’s longest-running series of models. It has been offered as a short-wheelbase three-door or a long-wheelbase five-door since the beginning, with pickup and cab-chassis variants of the long version.
Nissan Patrol at a glance
| Production | since September 1951 |
|---|---|
| Bodies | three-door short-wheelbase, five-door long-wheelbase, pickup and cab chassis |
| First model | 4W60 |
| First engine | 3.7-litre NAK, 75 PS |
| Wagon variant | 4W70 Carrier, 1950–1959 |
| Japanese rebadge | Nissan Safari, from 1980 |
| Australian rebadge | Ford Maverick, 1988–1994 |
| Spanish version | Ebro Patrol |
| Rival | Toyota Land Cruiser |
| Luxury relative | Infiniti QX56, later QX80 |
based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Nissan Patrol.
History of the Nissan Patrol
4W60 (1951)
In September 1951 the 4W60 was introduced exclusively to Japanese Nissan dealerships, styled much like the Willys Jeep. It used the 75 PS 3.7-litre NAK engine from the Nissan 290 bus with part-time four-wheel drive and a four-speed manual gearbox, and had a pressed-steel Nissan badge on the grille. A 4W70 Carrier-based wagon was available. The 4W61 of August 1955 brought a new grille with chrome bars, a one-piece windscreen, chrome strips on the hood and unequal seats, with the passenger’s wider; it used the new 3.7-litre NB engine of 92 PS, later the 105 PS 4.0-litre NC. The 4W65 of October 1958 had an all-chrome grille, redesigned fenders and hood and an eight-seat hardtop wagon, while the 4W66 of 1956 used the 125 PS 4.0-litre P engine until 1960.
Carrier
The 4W70 Carrier of 1950 was loosely based on the Dodge M37, using that truck’s chassis with the Patrol’s drivetrain and a narrower grille. The 4W72 of 1955 changed the hood, grille and headlights and raised power to 105 hp with the NC engine, and the 4W73 of 1959 went to 145 PS with the P engine. A wagon version of the 4W66 was called the Carrier from 1956 to 1959.
The long run
From 1980 the Patrol was rebadged in Japan and sold at Nissan Prince Store as the Nissan Safari. Ford Australia marketed it as the Ford Maverick between 1988 and 1994, and in Spain Ebro sold it as the Ebro Patrol. The Patrol has traditionally competed with the Toyota Land Cruiser and is sold in Australia, the Americas, South Africa, South-East Asia, western Europe, Iran and the Middle East. For 2011 a Patrol-based vehicle returned to North America as the Infiniti QX56, later QX80, and for 2017 it was sold there as the Nissan Armada.
Design and features
- Longest-running Nissan: in production since 1951.
- Two wheelbases: three-door short and five-door long from the start.
- Safari: the Japanese name used from 1980.
- Many badges: Ford Maverick in Australia, Ebro Patrol in Spain.
Nissan Patrol versions
- Patrol 4W60 (1951–1960): the Willys-like original.
- Patrol 4W61 and 4W65: the 1950s updates.
- Nissan Safari (1980–): the Japanese version.
- Ford Maverick (1988–1994): the Australian rebadge.
- Infiniti QX56 / QX80: the luxury relative from 2011.
The Patrol is the basis of the Armada, and its smaller stablemate was the Terrano and Pathfinder. More cars are in the Nissan collection.
Video: Nissan Patrol The Living LEGEND
Video by YouTube on YouTube.
Sources
- Nissan Patrol, English Wikipedia: early models, Carrier, Safari, markets, related models
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