Nissan in the Middle-East has brought back It’s legendary GU Patrol, otherwise known as the Y61, from the brink of death with a bit of a special-edition rebirth. And it has their most-loved engine under the bonnet. No, it’s not the ZD30 or TD42. And no, it isn’t the 298kW V8 that the Y62 has.
We aren’t getting it in Australia, however. It’s getting axed here, and is being sent off with a ‘Legend’ special edition.
It’s the petrol 4.8 litre GU Patrol, described as “one of the most coveted off-road vehicles ever sold in the region”, and we’d believe it. It’s kind of like the love of later 4.2 diesel Patrols that still go for big money in Australia, but over there, it’s a little bit different, here are a few reasons why it’s so loved.
1: The driveline:
Moving bits on these on these things are built like a tank. Diffs, gearboxes and driveshafts can put up with an exorbitant amount of power and torque before letting go. Which means it’s perfect for the Arabian obsession with psi, and lots of it.
2: The engine:
Where Australians love the TD42, Middle-Easterners go weak-at-the-knees for the petrol derivatives: namely the 4.8-litre TB48. It’s straight-six injected petrol engine, which makes 185 kW @ 4800 rpm 420 N·m @ 3600 rpm. The beauty of it, however, is that it’s built like a diesel, which means it is capable of so, so much more power. Using so, so much more fuel while doing it. Add boost, and watch the magic happen.
3. Modifications:
These are perfect for their propensity to drive really, really, quickly in the desert. You can turbo this engine to silly.com proportions, and the rest of the car can handle it. This is why it’s so loved.
The model is called a ‘Super Safari’, which is a bit of a top-spec monster. It has a centre-cooled fridge, electric leather seats and a fair amount of electronic driver aids. When when you’re doing 200km/h sideways up the lee of a 50-metre sand dune, you can check your tyre pressures easily as well with the onboard TPMS, sipping from your cool ice tea. So handy.
“We know this vehicle will appeal to many customers who have grown up with the Super Safari brand, and as new generations come to know the Patrol Super Safari, they too will appreciate its legendary capability and appreciate its deep-rooted heritage in the region’s culture,” said Samir Cherfan, managing director of Nissan Middle East. This is what he means:
Nissan leveraging off their culture of vehicles loved by enthusiasts? Blow me down, what a good idea.
