Premier Patrol

The long-awaited and highly-anticipated seventh generation 2010 Patrol, Nissan's flagship SUV, made its Bahrain debut during the International Bahrain Boat Show at Amwaj Marina.

The launch follows the recent Nissan Patrol Mideast launch, the first-ever world premiere in the Gulf region by a Japanese automaker.

Meticulously honed for over five decades, the Patrol is a name synonymous with ruggedness, enjoying a rich heritage and passionate following and has become an inseparable part of the social and cultural fabric of Arabia.

The seventh generation Nissan Patrol features a new platform, a radical new design direction, enhanced interior comfort and luxury, powerful new V8 engines, a 7-speed automatic transmission and a new 4WD system. The exterior design is like a breath of fresh air with an angled-strut motif front grille that delivers a sense of continuity with past models. Equally important are the class-leading performance, greater luxury and comfort and a smart mix of many world-first technologies that enhance the total driving experience.

Two hundred prototypes were tuned and tested in Japan before sending them to the Middle East where they were exposed to desert, rocky surfaces, highways and inner-city traffic. More than 40 Japanese engineers completed a total of 13,265 hours of testing in the tough terrain areas close to the UAE and Saudi border to assess the vehicle's performance and durability.

In order to create a better, higher quality interior for the GCC family, the Patrol has seat dimensions that outclass all competition. Boasting wider, higher and deeper front seats, the Patrol offers over 100mm more legroom for second row passengers and a roomier third row of seats as well. The interiors feature generous amounts of leather, polished aluminium and wood grain panelling.

On the performance front there are no parallels to the new Patrol. It is the most powerful vehicle in its class featuring a newly developed 5.6-litre V8 engine with VVEL (variable valve event and lift) and DIG (direct injection gasoline) technologies that generate 400hp and 560Nm of torque with enhanced fuel efficiency and cleaner emissions. A new 7-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode and a wider range of gear ratios than its predecessor, gives the off-roader the ability to deliver power faster.

In a world-first, the new Patrol employs a '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. The Patrol also employs a newly developed 'all mode' 4x4 system which allows the driver to quickly switch between four drive modes: sand, on-road, snow and rock, with the flick of a switch. The new 'hill start assist' and 'hill descent control' functions can be selected easily with the touch of a button for braking purposes on slope road surfaces.

Making the Patrol one of the safest SUVs are a range of state-of-the-art safety technologies. Incorporated in the Nissan's world-renowned 'safety shield', the safety systems include 'lane departure warning and prevention', which assists the driver avoid unintended lane departure, 'intelligent cruise control' (ICC) to reduce the driver's burden and keep the speed or distance constant, 'distance control assist' (DCA), which helps to keep a distance to the vehicle in the front.

A 'forward collision warning' system senses if there is a risk of a collision ahead and warns the driver with an alarm and an indicator to brake. The 'vehicle dynamic control' combines with 'traction control system', helical brake LSD (Limited Slip Differential) and mechanical differential lock functions to automatically prevent the Patrol from sliding sideways on slippery road surfaces when changing lanes or negotiating a curve.

Patrol's 'intelligent brake assist' sensor measures the distance from a preceding vehicle and gives a warning with an alarm and an indicator on display. Nissan Patrol is available with an advanced six-airbag configuration. Other safety features include the crash-sensitive 'door unlock' and 'active head restraints'.

Many world-first technologies can be found in the new Patrol in addition to the HBMC. They include the curtain vent, an advanced individual DVD entertainment system and the tyre pressure monitor aystem with tyre inflation indicator.

The Patrol features a totally revised climate control system boasting a world-first curtain vent. Small but highly effective vents mounted in the ceiling above each side window blow a strong current of cool air down forming a curtain of air that acts as a barrier to heat penetrating the cabin.

The SUV comes in two variants SE and LE and prices start from BD19,400 and is available for test drive at the marque's exclusive distributor in Bahrain, YK Almoayyed & Sons. Contact 17732732 for more information.

Customers can also find out more about the new Patrol at the dedicated Nissan Bahrain website www.nissanbahrain.com