Nissan’s performance division – Nismo – seems more and more active nowadays as it’s making a name for itself in other markets by modifying the Japanese car manufacturer’s products.
Nismo has been part of Nissan’s curriculum for quite some time now, but the division became mainstream when it actively took part in the development of the sporty, worldwide-available Juke Nismo.
Sure, the brand was already known, among enthusiasts, as an aftermarket performance parts provider for Nissan, but it needed to be something much more…comprehensive than that. Just so you know, Nismo wasn’t even associated with the original 2012 Juke-R.
That’s why the department went on a car-launching spree, leaving its red-white signature on other various concepts and production vehicles, such as the Note, the GT-R, the Pulsar and the Almera. Oh, and guess who’s name showed up on the GT-R-powered Nissan Juke-R 2.0 this time?
So, there’s no doubt that Nismo is slowly growing, especially as Nissan’s motorsport and road car performance brand made its Middle East debut by unveiling this intriguing Patrol.
The behemoth is aimed directly at the local enthusiasts, recognizing the high-performance off-road motorsport that’s happening in the region, as Samir Cherfan, Managing Director of Nissan Middle East, stated:
“We could not have launched NISMO in the region without including our most iconic model, the Nissan Patrol, in the range of NISMO vehicles. Bringing the high performance brand to the Middle East and launching the Patrol NISMO as a world premiere model is proof of our commitment to making thrilling driving experiences accessible to all our customers.”
So, as you can imagine, dune-climbing will never be the same, as the Nismo-badged Patrol packs some decent grunt. Sure, it’s still miles away of the kerosene-powered, outrageous tuning projects of Dubai, but its 428 hp, 5.6-litre V8, which gains 28hp over the standard model after Nismo’s tune, is enough for the average adrenaline-seeker.
Nismo describes it as a race-inspired version of the legendary Patrol, and its Takumi-tuned engine, improved aerodynamics and 22-inch Rays forged-alloy wheels complemented by Nismo-tuned Bilstein suspension makes the argument very feasible.
Thanks to Saif for the tip and pictures!
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