Nissan Patrol turns 75 and brings its legendary name back to America
The Nissan Patrol is celebrating its 75th anniversary with two special models, one of which brings the legendary name back to the United States after a 57-year absence. With more than two million buyers across seven generations, the SUV has evolved from a simple Japanese four-wheel-drive workhorse into one of the Toyota Land Cruiser’s main rivals. Nissan is using the anniversary both to revisit the model’s history and to strengthen its position in the world’s largest SUV markets.
Armada gets the Patrol PRO-4X name in America
According to Nissan’s announcement, the existing PRO-4X version of the Armada will be renamed Armada Patrol PRO-4X for the 2027 model year. This is not an entirely new vehicle, but a renaming of the off-road-capable version of the existing model.
The Patrol name disappeared from the US market in 1969, although Nissan has sold the Patrol-based Armada there since 2016.
The new version’s equipment includes an electronically locking rear differential, adjustable air suspension, off-road tyres, underbody protection and eight drive modes. Nissan offers NISMO rock rails and wheels fitted with BFGoodrich off-road tyres as options.
The Armada Patrol PRO-4X starts at $78,990 in the US. Its public debut will take place at the Los Angeles Auto Show on 20–29 November.
Just 1951 anniversary vehicles for the Middle East
Nissan is producing a separate Patrol 75th Anniversary model for the Middle East, with a symbolic initial production run of 1951 vehicles.
Based on the range-topping Platinum V6TT, the special edition features Copper Gold exterior details, a Bordeaux-coloured interior and dedicated anniversary logos.
The 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 in the current, seventh-generation Patrol, unveiled in 2024, produces approximately 313 kW and 700 Nm.
By comparison, the previous-generation Patrol used a 5.6-litre naturally aspirated V8. The smaller turbocharged engine delivers more torque while retaining the power reserves a large SUV needs.
From Mount Fuji to the Dakar Rally
The Patrol’s history began in 1951, when Nissan launched its first four-wheel-drive vehicle, the 4W60. In a notable achievement that same year, the vehicle climbed Mount Fuji.
Sales expanded to Australia and America. In Australia, the Patrol became the first motor vehicle to cross the Simpson Desert, traversing more than 1100 sand dunes in 12 days.
Nissan began producing the Patrol in Barcelona. It became the first Nissan model manufactured in Europe.
A diesel-powered Patrol finished in the top ten overall in the Paris–Dakar Rally, becoming the first diesel vehicle to achieve that result.
The model’s capabilities were also demonstrated by a Guinness World Record in 2013, when a Patrol towed a 170.9-tonne aircraft over a distance of 50 metres.
Nissan needs the Patrol more than ever
The Patrol is one of Nissan’s longest-running model names and is currently available in 42 markets. It is particularly important in the Middle East, where large petrol-powered SUVs retain a strong position.
Its main rival, the Toyota Land Cruiser, has likewise combined durability, off-road capability and increasingly luxurious equipment for decades.
The Patrol’s strengths are its powerful V6 and spacious cabin, but high running costs, emissions requirements and the lack of an official sales network limit its prospects in Europe.
For Nissan, the Patrol is not simply a nostalgic model. It is one of the few vehicles with which the company can compete against Toyota and other strong rivals in the luxury SUV market, where profit potential is high.
