Nissan will expand its Premcar-based modification program with a more affordable Navara SL Warrior variant, while confirming Patrol Warrior remains on the table
Nissan Australia has announced that the ‘Warrior’ program will expand past the current Navara PRO-4X Warrior – developed by Premcar in Melbourne – to include an additional Navara Warrior variant (based on the lower-grade SL), plus the long-awaited Patrol Warrior which Nissan confirmed “is in development with a series of enhancements being evaluated.”
Nissan Australia has found much success with the Navara N-Trek Warrior and PRO-4X Warrior models, with the team having now built more than 1000 examples at Premcar’s facilities in Victoria.
The Warrior program is part of Nissan’s broader expansion plan here in Australia, as the brand will soon introduce new-generation versions of the Qashqai small SUV, X-Trail midsize SUV, Pathfinder large SUV and a new Z sports coupe.
The Nissan Navara SL Warrior will look something like this when it comes into production
The Patrol Warrior program remains on the table as part of the Premcar plan and is expected to feature comprehensive engineering enhancements over the standard Y62 Patrol – in a similar fashion to the upgrades made to the Navara Warrior dual-cab.
What does the Navara SL Warrior include?
Nissan says that the SL Navara Warrior will be available “at the most accessible price point to date” and will feature a more aggressive exterior and “enhanced capability required to earn the Warrior name.”
Nissan says that more details will be released closer to the time of launch, however Chasing Cars can speculate that the SL Navara Warrior will very likely gain all-terrain tyres, an aggressive bull-bar, steel underbody protection as well as front LED spotlights.
The Navara SL Warrior could have a big bull-bar, underbody protection and snorkel standard
The Navara SL dual-cab is currently $51,992 driveaway, while the Pro-4X costs $63,052 driveaway, so the upcoming SL Warrior could be the pick of the Warrior range in terms of value and price and could sit somewhere around the $55-58k mark.
The Warrior brand and the Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior edition competes with other off-road specials such as the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain, Toyota Hilux Rugged X and Volkswagen Amarok W580.
What will change with the Nissan Patrol Warrior?
Like the Patrol Nismo offered in the Middle East, the Patrol Warrior could have some slight engine tinkering done to the 5.6-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine to increase power and torque.
The Nissan Patrol Nismo could offer some of its engine technology to the Warrior
As standard, the Y62 Patrol produces 298kW/560Nm and sends that power and torque to the road via a four-wheel drive system and a seven-speed automatic transmission. Though, if Nissan decided to use the Nismo version of this engine (currently used in the Middle East) for the Patrol Warrior, outputs would rise to 319kW/560Nm.
Much like the Nissan Navara PRO-4X by Premcar, the Patrol Warrior will likely feature Warrior decals and a dark, menacing colour accents for the exterior – removing the Patrol’s excess of chrome –- along with all-terrain tyres, steel underbody protection, and a completely revised suspension system.
Although the Navara PRO-4X Warrior does not gain any engine upgrades, this move seems a logical choice for the Patrol Warrior given the existence of such upgrades inside Nissan’s global network.
Keyword: Nissan Navara SL Warrior: new Warrior variant, plus Patrol Warrior ‘under study’ for future launch