New-generation Nissan Patrol receives the ‘Best Heavy Duty Elegant SUV - 2010’ Award from Automobile magazine
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (12 December, 2010) – Nissan’sflagship SUV the 2010 Nissan Patrol has received an award as the ‘Best Heavy Duty Elegant SUV - 2010’ from Automobile magazine & Future TV. Ten months since its exclusive global premiere launch in the UAE, the new generation Patrol has repeatedly lived up to its title as the ‘Hero of all Terrain’.
Commenting on the award, Atsuo Kosaka, Managing Director of Nissan Middle East FZE said: “The launch of the all-new 2010 Patrol has been Nissan’s most important new product event in the region this year and so this award from the editors at Automobile is a great way to end the year. The new generation Patrol is a technological tour de force and takes the ‘Hero of all Terrain’ to new levels of excellence.”
Automobile magazine is one of the oldest and most popular Pan-Arab automotive titles with a circulation of 74,000 copies monthly. The TV show, by the same name, on Future TV is also widely watched by the Arab population in the Middle East.
The international reveal ceremony of the new-generation Patrol was held in February 2010 at the splendor of the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, where “The Hero of All Terrain” was revealed by Carlos Ghosn, President & CEO of Nissan Motor Company Ltd. to officials, VIPs and business guests from across the Middle East region. The ceremony included a splendid operetta telling the story of the Patrol and its strong affinity with Arabia, under the theme: ‘The Hero Comes Home’. This banner spoke to the vehicle reassuming its position as the region’s premier and trusted large SUV. A series of events as part of the global debut was held in Oman, including a pan-Arab media test drive in which Mr. Ghosn took part.
In April 2010, the Nissan Patrol set a new record for Nissan in the Middle East when it successfully completed a run on a single fuel tank from the Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, to the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The feat was an indication of the superior performance of the DIG fuel efficient engine technology placing the 2010 Patrol top in the full-size SUV class.
The Patrol is available in two specification grades – SE and LE – but with a wide choice of equipment levels on each grade to satisfy individual customer requirements. The LE grade features a 400hp/560Nm version of a newly developed ‘VK56VD’ 5.6-litre V8 engine with VVEL (variable valve event and lift) and DIG (direct injection gasoline) technologies together with a 7-speed automatic transmission with manual mode shift technology. The SE grade secures the 320hp engine which is mated to a new 5-speed automatic transmission.
All Patrols come comprehensively equipped as standard with Nissan’s world-first Hydraulic Body Motion Control System (HBMC), which keeps the car flatter with less body roll during lane-changing and cornering, while delivering a comfortable ride in city driving and superb stability on rugged and sandy tracks. Another crucial part of handling equation comes from the new suspension system, which now employs 4-wheel independent suspension, upgraded from the previous rigid axle setup. Nissan has completely redesigned the vehicle’s suspension from the bushes to the links. The combination of HBMC and the new suspension system with its longer suspension stroke delivers significantly improved handling and stability on both on and off-road terrain.
All Patrols also employ a newly developed ALL MODE 4x4 system incorporating a variable 4x4 mode package. It allows the driver to quickly switch between four drive modes: sand, on-road, snow and rock, with the flick of a switch. In sand mode, owners are able to drive safely, quickly and skillfully in sand and dirt, just like professional rally drivers.
In addition, all Patrols also offer a new Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control which can also be selected easily with the touch of a button. With Hill Start Assist, if a driver stops on a slope and steps off the brake pedal, the system keeps the vehicle stationary – with no roll back. Hill Descent Control uses the brakes to maintain a constant downhill speed of 7km/h in 4H mode and 4km/h in 4L mode.
Well equipped models, plenty of choice
The Patrol SE models which use the 320bhp version of the new 5.6-litre V8 engine and 5-speed automatic transmission come well equipped. The SE ‘Type 1’ grade includes Nissan intelligent key and push button start, front and rear parking sensors, 18-inch alloy wheels with Dunlop or Bridgestone 265/70 all season tires, cruise control, a centre console cool box, automatic air conditioning, vehicle dynamic control, anti-lock brakes, electric brake force distribution, brake assist, hill descent control and hill start assist, folding door mirrors with puddle lamps, a power driver’s seat and a six speaker audio system.
In addition to the standard equipment on SE ‘Type 1’ grade, SE ‘Type 2’ grade adds a power electric sunroof and a power lifting tailgate while SE ‘Type 3’ grade adds a Bluetooth® hands-free phone system and Arabic-supporting HDD Navigation System featuring an 8-inch WVGA touch-screen front display and a multi-screen DVD entertainment system with individual second row seat DVD screens. SE Type 3 grade also secures a 9.3 GB Music Box hard drive music server, iPod® connection, a rear view camera, individual tire pressure monitoring and an off road monitor system.
Moving up to LE grade secures the 400bhp engine and 7-speed automatic transmission and across a range of Type 1, 2 and 3 grades makes available such features as double stitched leather upholstery, temperature controlled and power front seats with memory function and 20-inch alloy wheels with Bridgestone 275/60 all season tires.
In addition an Advanced Safety Shield package can be specified which includes features such as intelligent cruise control with a distance control assist (DCA), Forward collision warning, lane departure prevention, intelligent brake assist, around view monitor (AVM) and side and curtain airbags.
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