Nissan Patrol LWB test drive since 2004 SUV

All photos of Nissan Patrol LWB since 2004

Last Warrior

Affectionate in the fall the Italian sun is increasingly closing clouds more and more often, rain. We climb the updated Nissan Patrol up the mountain. The waves of the Mediterranean Sea remain further below, which did not cooled closer after the eruption of 2002, the crater of Etna.

The asphalt finally ended. Rocky roads with ledges and promoons, abundantly sprinkled with a volcanic breed, very suitable for evaluating the advantages of one of the last real all -terrain vehicles - with bridges in the front and rear suspension and a complete arsenal of increasing patency.
Even having a habit of traveling on all -wheel drive technique, I am happy to note how calmly the Nissan Patrol Gr/›Patrol steps over cobblestones, and soon, finally believing the car, I completely stop reducing gas. It seems that the only thing that limits the speed of the pardon is the physical endurance of the driver and passengers.
Rain intensifies - it is time to turn to the special capabilities of the machine: block the inter -coil differential of the rear axle, turn off the rear reptile stability stabilizer (the rigidly connected lower row of the transmission has already been involved).
Although there is no familiar in slushy weather, there is no such native mess under the wheels, in slippery areas, special equipment is noticeable. When you add gas to climb onto the next tubercle, the car performs a command with energetic acceleration. Yes, and less often responds with a slip of the wheels to a small busting of traction.
Oddly enough, in such conditions an automatic machine is especially good. Where the desire to drive is more precisely required from a car with a mechanical box of a mandatory transition to a reduced row, the hydrotransformer often allows movement on the upper one. I noted something similar when Nissan and I were twisting in my mother -in -law on the asphalt. The machine smooths out the lack of thrust engine traction at revolutions below 2000.

Traditions or fashion

It is worth pronouncing Sicily - in response you will hear about the Italian mafia. Meanwhile, this island is by no means a field of gangster showdowns, but a very attractive place, for example, for automobile presentations. Hold serpentines allow you to grow together very soon with an unfamiliar machine, rocky mountain trails help to evaluate all -terrain abilities, and temperamental (but not arrogant) local drivers quickly set you a creative mood.
The volume of changes in Nissan-Patrol is not so great as to talk about the change of generation, but the restyling was carried out full. The designers affected all the main details of the body except the roof, although it seems less by the eye. The most noticeable lighting equipment, bumpers, a radiator grille, hood. Added power and moment with a 3-liter diesel diesel engine.
The interior also did not ignore. The shape of the front seats has been changed: lateral support has improved - in such a car it will be very useful. The instrument panel became, the decoration options appeared not only with dark or beige skin, but also to Alcantara. Anyway, the materials in the cabin became more expensive both in appearance and to the touch.
As before, the car offers enough space in front and behind, has not only folding in parts, but also the rear seats moving forward (except for three -door modification). By the way, the volume of the trunk is more than 600 liters. For this, special thanks to another decision for an all -terrain - a spare tire on the fifth door. But sometimes a huge wheel find a place under the floor - it is clear due to what.

Fidelity of the patrol to traditions deserves a separate mention. Where else in official materials you will find a section on not new products, but, on the contrary, what they did not change from fundamental reasons! Nissan is one of the last adherents of classic all -resistant canons, according to which a powerful frame and long -term dependent suspensions are required. This combination predetermines the worst handling on the highway than that of competitors who have turned into a new faith. But the classic gives them an off -road odds. We add a few more pleasant numbers to this: the road clearance - 220 mm, the angles of the entrance and the congress - 37 and 31, the depth of the overcoming ford - 0.7 m, the mass of the towed trailer - up to 3.5 tons.
Typically, marketers, commenting on the general gravity of modern all -terrain vehicles to asphalt, refer to consumer tastes. Against this background, the statistics of repeated purchases of patrols are very curious. Among the owners of three -door versions, the adherence to the model reaches 43% - this is a lot! Those who have known the taste of full -fledged all -resistant qualities do not agree to sacrifice the strength of the car and the energy intensity of its suspension for the sake of better handling - after all, is not a sports car.

For us beloved

From November this year, the Russian market will be delivered to the Russian market in two versions of the configuration - Luxury and Elegance (prices have not yet been announced). The first option offers a traditional set of electric drives (except for the steering wheel and chairs) and heating, 17-inch wheels from a light alloy, front pillows, ABS, a parking sensor, a radio with a cd changer. The second, additionally, leather interior, side pillows, electric hatch in the roof, control of the radio on the steering wheel, etc.
With a 3-liter turbodiesel, three- and five-door machines with a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic will be available. Long -drawn at the request of the buyer will be equipped with folding seats for two.
A 4.8-liter gasoline engine (in-line six) is provided, but only for five-door machines in seven-seater design, exclusively with a five-speed automatic and in the rich configuration of Elegance.
It is possible that the prices for the updated Nissan Patrol Gr/›Patrol will be slightly higher than that of the predecessor. But this is unlikely to confuse those who were inquired at the car: after all, the car increased.

Pierre Luan

(Pierre Loing), General Manager Nissan Europe on Strategic Planning
Offering their cars in the world's largest markets, Nissan, of course, takes into account their specifics. Moreover: machines sold in the USA, Europe and Japan embody different philosophy, since the nature of their operation is also very different. For Japan, small runs are typical: here is a car that flaunts in front of the house, first of all, a symbol of the status of its owner. The USA is a country of long highways, cheap fuel and low speeds. The field of activity of our branch - Europe puts forward the most conflicting requirements: daily travels in close, densely populated cities are combined with many hours of trips to the highway, and the speed is sometimes not limited. About 700 million dollars are sent to the development of the European model program, which will allow six new models to the markets in 2005-2006. Some are shown at the Paris Motor Show.
The old world is characterized by the requirement of increasing versatility, utilitarianism of the car while maintaining compact sizes. Such is the concept shown in Paris, the tone: in fact, this is the prototype of one of the machines of the family, which will change the almer in 2006. We tried to combine multifunctionality in it with sports notes in behavior on the road in order to interest first of all young families.
In the popular class, SUV will make a debut of the passfire, sales of which will begin in the spring of 2005. A full -wheel drive station wagon with a new generation turbodiesel will be mastered in Barcelona instead of the well -worked work of Nissan Terrano II/›Terrano II.
By the way, the PasFainer became the sixth model with all the leading in the Nissan program. He will take a place between X-trail and Murano, which we also officially display to the European market. Well, the title of a real alternate will continue to carry the updated Nissan Patrol Gr/›Patrol.