Motoring Middle East: Car news, Reviews and Buying guides

It’s the performance edition of the Patrol with extra bhp and stiffening

By Shahzad Sheikh

Click below to watch our video review of this Made-For-Middle-East 2016 Nissan NISMO Patrol

Introduced at the tail end of last year, this is the 2016 Nissan NISMO Patrol, a unique model made specifically for us here in the Middle East and GCC region. We love Patrols, it’s one of the best selling full-size SUVs and a big success for Nissan Middle East, so six-years into its lifecycle, they’re churning out special editions to capitalise on its success.

Previously they put out the Desert Edition Patrol customised by none other than UAE Rally Legend Mohammed Ben Sulayem – click here for review – and now there’s this, the performance-enhanced version of the big Nissan.

A range-topping Patrol comes in at about AED330,000 ($90k), this NISMO version sits above that at AED379,000 ($103k) and for that you do get a little more power. In fact you get a boost of 28bhp to take total output up to 428bhp with improved torque over 70% of the engine’s range – a power unit that has been worked on by The Takumi – that is Nissan’s much-lauded Master Craftsmen.

But it isn’t just the under-bonnet stuff that’s been fiddled with. The steering has also been worked over by Takumi and the suspension gets Bilsteins tuned by Nismo, along with Nismo Rays 22-inch wheels, lift-reducing aerodynamics thanks to that bodykit and of course a generous sprinkling of NISMO badges.

More importantly than any of this, and demonstrating the commitment to producing an actual NISMO product and not just something with a body-kit, the structure of the car itself has been stiffened and worked-over by Nismo on the production line, increasing rigidity, which of course aids handling.

Outside and inside?

There is no doubting it’s presence from outside, it’s probably the best and most spectacular looking Patrol so far and the front and rear bumpers really do give it an aggressive and sporty look. What they don’t encourage though is taking it off-road now, because you wouldn’t want to scrape or damage those fine looking extensions in any way.

Which is odd, because from behind the wheel, apart from all the NISMO badges and red highlights, there is nothing to suggest to the driver that this should be any different to a normal Patrol, or that it’s particularly racy. For example, there are no ‘Sports’ Modes of any kind, and not even a set of paddleshifts for the transmission.

What you do get is the usual all-encompassing All-Terrain system on the centre console. You also get a super-plush and luxuriant interior with deep leather seats and glossy trim bits. There’s a lot of feel-good in this cabin, even if the some of the electronics and displays are beginning to feel their age.

What’s it like to drive?

Given that it has all the attributes of the Patrol that we already know and like, this Nismo version brings a bit of dynamic flair to the equation. That is, it has slightly better poise and body and control than the regular edition when being hurled around.

There’s a little extra performance, and I did rather surprise myself with a 0-100kph time of 6.57seconds but I fear that may have been something of a fluke, because I could not repeat it and my attempts to record other timed runs were at about 7 seconds.

360 degree inside click below

Verdict

So we’re not talking 5-second SUV here, this car doesn’t sit amongst the likes of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Mercedes GLE 63, BMW X5M or even the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. If you want an outright performance SUV, look amongst those.

But all that extra work on the chassis, suspension and steering suggests the NISMOing of this car was more to do with handling rather than speed. The ride too is a little more brittle than the norm, but that isn’t surprising considering it’s riding on 22-inch rims with stiffened suspension.

However there is improved responsiveness and the better control and grip when cornering hard – especially on long high-speed sweepers.

What it boils down to is that if you want a Patrol but are not interested in doing much dune-bashing, spend most of your time ripping around the streets, good looks with an evocative badge are important to you – and if you’ve got about AED50k extra to spend – then the NISMO Patrol is definitely the one you should be choosing.

2016 Nissan NISMO Patrol – The Specs

Price: AED379,000 ($103k)
Engine: 5.6-litre V8, 428bhp @5200rpm, 410lb ft
Performance: 0-100kph 7.0, 230kph
Transmission:  7-speed auto, Four-wheel drive
Weight:  2600kg

Let us know what you think of the Nissan Nismo Patrol below