Nissan is seeking to leverage the heritage of one of its longest-running Patrol while expanding the appeal of its large sport utility vehicles in key markets.
The automaker is celebrating 75 years of its flagship off-road Nissan Patrol with a limited-run 75th Anniversary Patrol exclusively for the Middle East, initially capped at 1,951 units to reflect the year the vehicle was first launched.
Based on the flagship Platinum V6 twin-turbo model, the anniversary edition features Copper Gold exterior accents, a Bordeaux interior and special detailing inspired by the region.
Nissan is reviving its historic Patrol in the United States after more than five decades, introducing a special Armada Patrol PRO-4X for the 2027 model year.
The new model brings the Patrol badge back to the US market for the first time since 1969, building on the existing Armada PRO-4X with distinctive Patrol branding inside and outside the vehicle.
“Patrol is an important part of Nissan’s history and a vehicle that truly represents the heartbeat of our brand,”said Nissan President and Chief Executive Ivan Espinosa.
Espinosa says Nissan Patrol had embodied the company’s spirit of adventure and engineering capability for seven decades, adding that the Japanese automaker is keen on preserving the model’s appeal for future generations.
First introduced in Japan in 1951 as Nissan’s first four-wheel-drive vehicle, the Patrol gained international recognition after successfully climbing Mount Fuji in its launch year.
It entered the Middle East in 1957, before expanding into global markets through the second-generation 60 Series in 1960. The vehicle subsequently built a reputation for off-road performance in Australia, Africa and other markets.
Over the years, successive generations introduced more powerful engines, improved suspension, greater comfort and advanced technology, broadening the Patrol’s appeal from a utility vehicle to a premium family SUV.
The model also built a motorsport reputation, winning Australia’s unmodified off-road championship division for 15 consecutive years from 1983 and achieving a top-10 finish at the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1987.
In 2010, the sixth-generation Patrol set three Guinness World Records, including towing a 170.9-tonne aircraft.
The seventh-generation model, unveiled in Abu Dhabi in 2024, features a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 425 horsepower and 700 Nm of torque. Production of the latest Patrol and US Armada began in Japan in 2025.
My experience with older SUVs showed that maintenance costs often rise significantly after a certain mileage.