Does Nissan Armada Pro-4X preview Y63 Warrior?

AUSTRALIAN engineering firm Premcar’s success with locally developed ‘Warrior’ variants of the Navara ute and Patrol SUV could have secured the company a right-hand drive conversion gig for the new Y63 Patrol that will make this market the world’s first to get the Japanese brand’s latest off-roader in right-hook form.

In addition, the Warrior program appears to have inspired Nissan’s North American division, where its Armada-badged version of the Y63 Patrol has a beefed-up Pro-4X variant echoing some of the upgrades Premcar developed for the current Y62-generation Warrior sold in Australia.

Both Nissan Oceania and Premcar appear reluctant to comment specifically on whether the Melbourne-based engineering outfit will again work its magic on the Y63-series off-roader – whether for right-hand drive conversions or Warrior upgrades – but something appears to be brewing behind the scenes.

Discussing the company’s commitment to its working relationship with Premcar during a recent media briefing, Nissan Oceania vice president and managing director Andrew Humberstone said: “We're literally taking this from strength to strength in terms of what we want to do with Premcar around conversions and around the Warrior brand in Australia.”

GoAuto reached out to Premcar director Bernie Quinn for comment, but at the time of publication had received no response.

In the late 1990s, when Premcar was known as Tickford Vehicle Engineering, the company was selected by Ford to convert Mustang Cobra sportscars to right-hand drive for Australia and export to other RHD markets.

GoAuto understands that Premcar – having previously operated Ford Performance Vehicles – was also in the running for the Ford F-150 RHD conversion contract that was ultimately won by RMA and announced in 2022.

The same year, Mr Quinn published a cautionary tale about RHD conversions on LinkedIn that concluded: “Miscalculate and botch it and all you’ll do is go from left-hand drive to wrong-hand drive."

Mr Quinn’s missive proved somewhat prophetic given the RMA-converted F-150 has, between January and July this year, been subject to five recalls resulting in two sales pauses and customer compensation.

Mr Humberstone confirmed that Australia "will be the first right-hand drive market in the world” to get its hands on the Y63 Patrol and said the introduction of Warrior vehicles had increased public perception about the off-road ability of Nissan four-wheel drive models – particularly the Navara – “substantially”.

He said the success was such that by the end of August Nissan had "already surpassed the  number of Warriors sold in 2023”.

As such, it seems unlikely that Nissan Oceania will bring a factory-finished equivalent to the Armada Pro-4X directly to this market and bypass Premcar entirely.

Nissan Oceania told GoAuto that the company is “committed to our conversion program with Premcar and think this is a fantastic product offering”.

“It’s about finding the right product opportunity that meets market demand.  We will continue to evaluate opportunities and customer demand and respond accordingly.”

Asked specifically about the potential for Premcar to handle RHD conversions for the Y63 Patrol, Nissan Oceania told GoAuto it was “constantly listening to feedback and analysing trends”.

“While we can't reveal specifics just yet, rest assured, we have some exciting products in the pipeline which will be announced in due course.”

Off-road specific features on the Armada Pro-4X include a locking rear differential, trailer blind-spot monitoring, heightened ground clearance and adaptive air suspension plus a unique grille and frontal fascia with exposed metal bash plate and rated recovery points.

These will give the Pro-4X flagship sufficient interest, Nissan says, to account for up to 25 per cent of Armada sales volume in North America.

Nissan Americas head of sales and marketing Vinay Shahani said the new Patrol leans into the “legacy of capability” for which the brand is renowned.

“Overlanding has become a big thing,” added Mr Shahani. “We should have some way to capitalise on that … through special derivatives, grades, and accessories.”

It is a remark that could be read directly from the Premcar playbook.

Hi-tech image processing gives drivers a 170-degree view forward for accurate wheel placement off the beaten track, while Invisible Hood View is a technology similar to that debuted by Land Rover some years ago, using exterior cameras to show what is directly in front and under the vehicle.

Dual 14.3-inch digital displays – unique to Armada Pro-4X and Platinum variants – join a rotary-style drive mode control, toggles for climate control functions, and a push-button gear selector.

Other highlights include a 12-speaker/600-watt Klipsch-sourced audio bundle, massaging front seats, heated first- and second-row seats, and an infrared sensor built into the headliner to detect occupant temperature and adjust climate control settings accordingly.

The new-generation Patrol will not be available to order Down Under until late 2026 at the earliest, giving buyers just over 12 months to snap up the last of Nissan’s V8-powered Y62-series stalwart.