Return Of The King

Nissan's Patrol is back and punching harden than ever

- Dan Everett And Matt Williams

FOR decades, Nissan and Toyota have been taking swings at each other. Each time one would innovate, the other would try to outdo them. Coil springs and turbo-fed diesels all got thrown into the ring to try and claim the crown. One would build better drivelines, the other better bodies. One stronger front diffs, the other stronger rears. The two were toe to toe every step of the way and caused rivalry that’d make the Holden versus Ford debate look almost tame by comparison. Then it all came to a screeching halt. Nissan innovated just a little too hard.

While the LC200 was an evolution of the outgoing LC100, the Y62 Patrol was worlds different from the GU Patrol it replaced. The punters weren’t happy. The battle was over. Toyota claimed the crowd. But tastes change, slowly people have been coming around to the Y62, and the current facelift has caused an absolute boom in popularity. Something Vogue Industries owner Longy was more than happy to jump on-board with.

“I’ve had 200s and 79s before,” he tells 4X4 Australia. “I wanted something different, I needed eight seats, and it needed a big V8.”

With three rows of seats, and a 400hp 5.6L V8 under the bonnet, the 2020 model served as the perfect basis to build a do-it-all wagon like you’ve never seen before.