Y62 Patrol

SOLD alongside the 1997-vintage Y61 Patrol series, the Y62 was an all-new vehicle, designed to take the half-century-old nameplate into the luxury SUV segment.

Designed primarily for the Middle East and North America (as the substantially modified Infiniti QX56), the Y62 employs a stiffer chassis than before, adopting double-wishbone coil-spring suspension front and rear for the first time, as well as rack-and-pinion steering.

However, no diesel engine was available at launch in February 2013.

Beneath the Patrol’s vast bonnet lay a 5.6-litre V8 petrol employing variable valve timing and direct injection technology to deliver 298kW of power at 5800rpm, 560Nm of torque from 4000rpm, and 14.5L/100km.

Driving all four wheels via an electric transfer case known as All Mode 4x4, the sole gearbox choice on all three models – ST-L, Ti and Ti-L – was the company’s seven-speed auto.

Among the off-road aids were a lockable differential, helical limited slip differential, hill-descent control, hill-start assist and four driving modes – on-road, sand, rocks and snow – selectable electronically via console-mounted switches.

To mitigate body roll, improve stability and provide a flat ride, the Ti and Ti-L feature ‘Hydraulic Body Motion Control’ that employs hydraulic chambers in each shock absorber to counter unwanted movement, in lieu of anti-roll bars.

While the first two grades offer eight seating positions (2+3+3), the extra mass of the Ti-L meant Nissan had to remove the middle position from the last row to avoid going too high with its gross vehicle mass.

All models came with six airbags, with head protection for all three seating rows, anti-whiplash front head restraints, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, 18-inch alloy wheels, driver-seat eight-way electric adjustment, dual-zone climate-control, cruise control, Bluetooth telephony, a trip computer, woodgrain inserts, and a colour screen linked with a single-disc CD/MP3/DVD.