Question Will Nissan release a GU with new the 3lt Diesel ?

Robin said:

"Everyone knows Nissan will release the big superfat totally new Patrol next year."

Robin, I don't think that is at all a given, and IMHO it is an extremely remote possibility. I think Nissan's official position now is that they are looking into how they can release it in 2012 or 2013. The Nissan CEO said that Australia is the only country that wants the new Patrol apart from the US and Middle East, so it would be the only diesel, and only RHD market. If it got the whole of the GU sales that's just 3000 a year ( forgetting it is more than double the price and a totally different market to the GU). IMHO it just aint gunna happen.

Your suggestion of the V6 3.0 makes the most sense and would make most Nissan buyers ecstatic I would have thought. Patrols have been available with Traction Control in the UK for many years. It may not be too much of a jump from that to Stability control.

Imagine that, a GU with that 3.0 diesel, with Stability control and ( presumably traction control) for $55k. Now that would be quite awsome. *nearly* as good as my 200 :-)

New Nissan Patrol


The first all new Nissan Patrol in more than a decade promises to take the off-road fight to its Toyota LandCruiser competition with improvements to driving ability and luxury.

After decades of service as a simple, tough workhorse the iconic Nissan Patrol has been transformed into a technological tour de force – and a big, heavy one at that.

But to keep faith with Patrol’s traditional fanbase, the current GU generation that first arrived in 1998 will continue to be sold in Australia beyond the arrival of the new Patrol, which arrives in 2011.

The hedging strategy was confirmed to Drive at the global debut of the new Patrol in Abu Dhabi over the weekend by program director Carla Bailo.

“In key markets we will continue selling the old Patrol to make sure we are bridging the gap," she said “For the customers who still want the rugged simple performance we will still provide that.”

Advertisement: Story continues below However, a Nissan Australia spokesman would not confirm the plan, only saying it was under consideration.


Bailo was speaking after Nissan president and CEO Carlos Ghosn had presented the new Patrol, codenamed PG616, to 1000 guests at the seven-star Emirates Palace hotel.

With the Middle East the Patrol’s biggest market, precedence has been given to left-hand drive production, so Gulf customers will be able to buy the new Patrol from April. Right-hand drive Patrols don’t start rolling out of Nissan’s new Kyushu plant until 2011.

When it does join the GU in Australia there should be little cross-shopping.

The new Nissan Patrol abandons live axles for all independent suspension, part-time mechanical 4WD for Nissan’s full-time electronically controlled All-Mode 4x4 system and currently has no manual gearbox option.

No doubt it won’t be cheap either, just like its only logical rival the Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series.

Compared to GU, the new Patrol grows 90mm in length to 5140mm, is 55mm wider and 85mm taller. It is also weighs in at nearly 270kg heavier at 2780kg.

The new Patrol also substantially outsizes and outweighs the LandCruiser 200 Series.

Only a 5.6-litre V8 Patrol with a seven-speed automatic gearbox was shown in Abu Dhabi. A diesel – and probably a manual gearbox - will be added before Australian on-sale, with a 3.0-litre Renault-sourced V6 the current engine favoured to slip under the bonnet.

The new Patrol deserves the oft-abused term ‘all-new’.

It rides on a fundamentally overhauled frame-on-body architecture.

It is bigger and heavier than its predecessor, has more interior space and is loaded down with a mass of sophisticated equipment including a further development of the West Australian-based company Kinetic’s hydraulic suspension system already used by more expensive versions of the LandCruiser and slightly smaller Toyota Prado.

While the Patrol has been pushed dramatically upmarket to satisfy the demands of customers in the Middle East (although the GU will also continue to be sold in the Gulf), it also adds sophistication because it has been twinned with the Infiniti QX56, the heavy-duty SUV of Nissan’s luxury division. The QX debuts at the New York motor show in April.

Despite the its new-found civility, Nissan insists the new Patrol should dramatically outperform its predecessor off-road as well as be a far superior drive on-road.

“The new Patrol not only upgrades in terms of the quality and features and on-road conveniences but also maintains the ruggedness and durability of the previous generation,” Bailo promised. “In fact the performance is even better.”

Importantly, Bailo say it matches the GU’s huge 3500kg braked towing capacity.

The shift to double wishbone-based independent suspension has driven the use of the Hydraulic Body Motion Control system, which banishes stabiliser bars and relies instead on oil-filled cylinders to vary roll stiffness depending on the driving conditions. The LandCruiser system still uses stabiliser bars.

The Patrol’s more intelligent All-Mode 4x4 system allows the driver to dial between four modes; sand, on-road, snow and rocks. Other aspects of the system include a lockable centre differential and a lockable helical limited slip rear differential for superior traction.

There’s also an active limited slip differential, electronic traction control, a hill holder system and hill descent control to maintain a set speed down steep off-road slopes.

The 5.6-litre V8 that replaces the old 4.8-litre six-cylinder as the Patrol’s petrol choice is an overhauled version of the engine used by the old QX56. Employing variable valve timing and direct injection it produces 300kW and 560Nm (although a detuned version will also be offered).

Nissan claims “class-leading” fuel economy but has issued no figures.

Importantly for the few V8 petrol Patrol customers expected in Australia, the tank capacity grows from 95 or 125 litres (depending on the old Patrol model) to 140 litres.

The Patrol’s seven-speed automatic transmission is a development of the unit that debuted in the 370Z sports car. It has been recalibrated to cope with extra torque and for better economy.

The Patrol continues to seat eight passengers. Nissan claims 100mm more legroom for second row passengers and unquantified improvement in the third row. The third row also now folds into the floor, helping improve luggage space.

While many specification details were held back at the international unveiling and drive, Nissan did confirm the Patrol would be fitted with a maximum six airbags.

Other safety items available include lane departure warning, intelligent cruise control, stability control, a forward collision warning system and a claimed world first tyre inflation indicator for the tyre pressure monitoring system. Massive 20-inch wheels house bigger brakes with new calipers and boosters.

The comfort equipment list also includes claimed world firsts, namely an individual multi-screen DVD system and new roof mounted air vents. Also available are a cool box, 9.3gB hard drive, sat-nav, a 360-deg camera monitoring system and a power liftgate.

Maybe they own't sell them in Vic? Isn't there a company in WA selling Chinese-made cars which don't have ESC? They can't sell them in Vic because of it but in WA it's OK.

If Nissan are going cold on a new Nissan - Toyota are going to stir up the mix a bit more - they are supposedly bringing out a standard version of the 200 series in 2012 and dropping the 76 model.
One wonders how basic, how much cheaper etc I suspect it wont be that much cheaper.

cheers

i was lead to believe in vic it had to be either esp or side curtain air bags not both