Nissan in the Middle-East has brought back Itâs legendary GU Patrol, otherwise known as the Y61, from the brink of death with a bit of a special-edition rebirth. And it has their most-loved engine under the bonnet. No, itâs not the ZD30 or TD42. And no, it isnât the 298kW V8 that the Y62 has.
We arenât getting it in Australia, however. Itâs getting axed here, and is being sent off with a âLegendâ special edition.
Itâs the petrol 4.8 litre GU Patrol, described as âone of the most coveted off-road vehicles ever sold in the regionâ, and weâd believe it. Itâs kind of like the love of later 4.2 diesel Patrols that still go for big money in Australia, but over there, itâs a little bit different, here are a few reasons why itâs so loved.
1: The driveline:
Moving bits on these on these things are built like a tank. Diffs, gearboxes and driveshafts can put up with an exorbitant amount of power and torque before letting go. Which means itâs perfect for the Arabian obsession with psi, and lots of it.
2: The engine:
Where Australians love the TD42, Middle-Easterners go weak-at-the-knees for the petrol derivatives: namely the 4.8-litre TB48. Itâs straight-six injected petrol engine, which makes 185 kW @ 4800 rpm 420 N·m @ 3600 rpm. The beauty of it, however, is that itâs built like a diesel, which means it is capable of so, so much more power. Using so, so much more fuel while doing it. Add boost, and watch the magic happen.
3. Modifications:
These are perfect for their propensity to drive really, really, quickly in the desert. You can turbo this engine to silly.com proportions, and the rest of the car can handle it. This is why itâs so loved.
The model is called a âSuper Safariâ, which is a bit of a top-spec monster. It has a centre-cooled fridge, electric leather seats and a fair amount of electronic driver aids. When when youâre doing 200km/h sideways up the lee of a 50-metre sand dune, you can check your tyre pressures easily as well with the onboard TPMS, sipping from your cool ice tea. So handy.
âWe know this vehicle will appeal to many customers who have grown up with the Super Safari brand, and as new generations come to know the Patrol Super Safari, they too will appreciate its legendary capability and appreciate its deep-rooted heritage in the regionâs culture,â said Samir Cherfan, managing director of Nissan Middle East. This is what he means:
Nissan leveraging off their culture of vehicles loved by enthusiasts? Blow me down, what a good idea.
This article was originally posted by Mr 4Ă4.