Nissan Patrol SUV India-bound

Nissan is planning to bring its biggest SUV, the Patrol to our shores soon. The large, seven-seating SUV will be brought in as CBU units, and will compete mainly against the Toyota Land Cruiser. With the launch of this full-sized Patrol SUV, Nissan is also looking to boost its brand-image in India.

The four-wheel-drive Patrol features a ladder-on-frame construction, making it a rugged SUV that can handle a fair bit of off-roading. Mechanically, the Nissan Patrol is expected to get a big 5.6-litre V8 petrol motor that’s good for around 400bhp and 57kgm of torque. Internationally, the Patrol gets three transmission options (including a manual) but in India, the Patrol is likely to be fitted only with the range-topping seven-speed automatic gearbox.

Compared to the Land Cruiser, the Patrol is expected to get interiors that are much better appointed, as it shares a lot of its cosmetic parts with the Infiniti QX80. That said, with a price tag of approximately Rs 1 crore, the Patrol will be expensive, and will also have to compete with luxury SUVs such as the Mercedes GL-class and Audi Q7.

In the past, Nissan discontinued its other CBU offerings such as the X-trail SUV, Teana sedan and the 370Z sports car in India owing to poor demand and high import duties. So, while it may be a capable full-fat SUV, it remains to be seen how Indians will take to a Rs-1 crore Nissan.

Comments

2018 Lamborghini Urus India review, test drive

On first introduction, it’s a recipe for intimidation. It’s claimed to be the fastest SUV in the world (0-100kph in 3.6sec and a top speed of 305kph puts it nearly in supercar territory), and it’s made by Lamborghini – creator of some of the most savage vehicles on the market. Things – as with any Lamborghini, for that matter – would be a lot less daunting if we were driving on a smooth European country road, a wide motorway, or even a race track. But today we’re driving the Urus on a narrow ghat road, as well as through some heavy Pune traffic. Perhaps the intention was to demonstrate that this is the first Lamborghini ever to go on sale in India that truly works in our conditions – but still, I doubt they accounted for rush hour. It’s requisitely mad to look at, employing as many ‘sporty’ design tropes to an SUV body style as possible – the only thing missing is a massive wing on the back; and somehow, it works. It’s ...

Rolls Royce Cullinan SUV in the works

Rolls Royce has released the first pictures of its Cullinan SUV prototype. The company has said that only the length of the prototype gives clues about the production. The entire car is an engineering mock-up to test the new all-wheel drive transmission and suspension. The prototype, based on a shortened Phantom II, is set for road testing from the second week of April. The company has said that it would “assist Rolls Royce engineers in developing a final suspension system that will deliver the brand's hallmark 'magic carpet' ride not only on the road, but off-road too”. Rolls Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Ötvös had, some time back, confirmed to our sister publication Autocar UK, that the company was developing an all-new four-wheel drive high-bodied Rolls Royce. He had, however, avoided using the word ‘SUV’. The new Rolls Royce is expected to shatter existing price and size ceilings for a SUV, but as per the brand's design boss Giles Taylor, the SUV will be po...

Land Rover Discovery Sport review

Two things. To start with, it’s Land Rover’s replacement for the popular and capable Freelander. It’s also the first of the models from Land Rover’s new Discovery sub-brand, one that will focus on utility in the same vein as the Range Rover line is about luxury. The Discovery Sport was shown as a concept last year and the production version’s styling doesn’t stray too far from the prototype. It’s smart, well proportioned and interesting but doesn’t have the show value of something like an Evoque. Still, there’s a certain honesty to the chunky shape which, if you think about it, more than links the Sport to the Freelander. The Sport is 91mm longer than its predecessor and also sits on a wheelbase that’s grown by 80mm. These increments, and the incorporation of a compact multi-link rear suspension, have allowed Land Rover to fit in a third row of seats, giving the Sport a big advantage over its five-seat competitors – the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Volvo XC60. But Land Rover is being cau...

Automobilestillnow

Search This Blog