Few SUV names are as closely tied to the Gulf as the Nissan Patrol. On 10 November 2026, Nissan marked 75 years of its longest-serving nameplate, from the 1951 original that climbed Mount Fuji to today’s seventh-generation model. More than two million Patrols have been sold worldwide, and the anniversary brings a new Patrol-badged Armada for the US and a limited Gulf-only edition priced at AED 439,900 (US$119,782). Here is the full story.
Quick Highlights
- Patrol first launched in Japan in 1951 as Nissan’s first four-wheel-drive vehicle
- Seven generations and more than two million vehicles sold worldwide
- Available in 42 markets, with more new markets coming soon
- 2027 Nissan Armada Patrol PRO-4X brings the Patrol name back to US roads for the first time since 1969
- Gulf-only 75th Anniversary edition: 1,951 units initially, from AED 439,900 (US$119,782) at AWR Automotive in the UAE
The Gulf Anniversary Edition
For the Middle East, Nissan created a limited-run 75th Anniversary Patrol, built on the flagship Platinum V6TT grade. The initial run is set at 1,951 units, a nod to 1951, the year the Patrol story began. It was introduced in the UAE on 15 October by AWR Automotive, Nissan’s dealer in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, at AED 439,900 (US$119,782) including VAT. For comparison, the standard Patrol range is listed from about AED 239,900 (US$65,324). Prices can vary by dealer, so confirm yours.
What Makes It Special
- Exterior: a Copper Gold finish inspired by desert landscapes, on the grille bars, fog lamp surrounds, fender vents, shoulder line and emblems, with dark chrome and black alloy wheels
- Interior: a Bordeaux cabin with Copper Gold steering wheel detailing, ambient lighting and dark chrome trim
- Details: anniversary embossing on the passenger-side dashboard and seat headrests, illuminated kick plates, special floor and luggage mats, and a matching leather key fob case
- Powertrain: the Platinum V6TT’s 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 with 425hp and 700 Nm, a nine-speed automatic and adaptive air suspension
- Comfort and tech: a 28.6-inch Monolith display, a Klipsch audio system, quilted leather seats with heating, ventilation and massage, and NissanConnect 2.0 with Google built-in in the UAE and Saudi Arabia
It will be available for a limited time through Nissan’s partners across the GCC. Allocation by country has not been announced.
Armada Patrol PRO-4X for the US
In the United States, the Patrol name returns for the first time since 1969 on a new Armada Patrol PRO-4X trim for the 2027 Nissan Armada. It builds on the off-road-focused Armada PRO-4X, with Patrol badging inside and out. Nissan has not yet announced US pricing or on-sale dates.
75 Years in Milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1951 | First-generation 4W60 Patrol launches in Japan as Nissan’s first 4×4, and the same year climbs Mount Fuji |
| 1957 | Patrol arrives in the Middle East, starting in Kuwait |
| 1960 | Second-generation Patrol 60 Series goes international, with exports to Colombia, then Australia and the US in 1961 |
| 1980 | Third-generation Patrol 160 adds five-door and seven-seat layouts; in 1983 it becomes the first Nissan built in Europe, at Barcelona |
| 1983 | First turbo-diesel engine, and the start of 15 straight wins in the Australian Off-Road Championship’s unmodified division |
| 1987 | Fourth-generation Y60 launches; the “Fanta Limon” Patrol becomes the first diesel to finish in the Paris-Dakar overall top 10 |
| 1997 | Fifth-generation Y61 adds satellite navigation and a reverse camera |
| 2010 | Sixth-generation Y62 arrives |
| 2015 | First Patrol NISMO in the Middle East |
| 2016 | Patrol returns to the US as the Armada, with a 390hp 5.6-litre V8 |
| 2024 | Seventh-generation Patrol unveiled in Abu Dhabi, with a 425hp 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 |
Endurance Stories
Patrol’s history includes plenty of tough-terrain feats. It became the first motorised vehicle to cross Australia’s Simpson Desert, a route of more than 1,100 sand dunes covered in 12 days. In 2007, two Y61 Patrols drove the 15,000-mile “Long Way Down” from John O’Groats in the UK to Cape Town, South Africa, with only one puncture between them.
Three Guinness World Records From the Gulf
The sixth-generation Y62 set three Guinness World Records in the Middle East:
- Towing a 170.9-metric-ton aircraft 50 metres (2013)
- The fastest ascent of a 100-metre sand dune by a production vehicle (2015)
- The world’s largest synchronised car dance, with 180 Patrols (2018)
The Patrol Today
The current seventh-generation Patrol is built at Nissan Shatai Kyushu in Japan, together with the US Armada, since 2025. It is sold in 42 markets, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the US, the Philippines and Australia, and is known as the Armada in the US and the Safari in Japan. Nissan calls Patrol one of its “heartbeat” models under its Nissan Vision strategy, and says new markets are coming soon. Nissan’s President and CEO Ivan Espinosa said the Patrol embodies the brand’s spirit of adventure and engineering capability, and that Nissan is looking ahead to its next chapter.
Final Thoughts
For the Gulf, the Patrol is more than an SUV, and the anniversary edition is a way for Nissan to celebrate that bond. Whether it justifies the premium over the standard range is a personal question. Would you pay AED 439,900 for the 75th Anniversary Patrol? Tell us in the comments.
