Nissan’s Australian division has given us a sneak peek at what it says will be the “world’s toughest Navara”. The new Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior is being created in conjunction with Australian engineering company Premcar.
Nissan says that this new flagship model, which is based on the Pro-4X derivative, was re-engineered and tailor-made for Australia. However it’s not impossible that it could inspire similar editions for other countries such as South Africa, where the new Nissan Navara recently went into production.
Nissan remains tight-lipped about the specifics, but the official pictures show that a substantial amount of body and suspension work has been carried out by the Victoria-based engineering firm. For starters there’s a completely new off-road front bumper featuring a built-in bull bar and bash plate, and Nissan has also fitted wheel arch extensions and raised the suspension by around 40 mm.
According to CarAdvice, much engineering work has gone into the chassis – with the new Warrior adopting a bespoke suspension system similar to that fitted to the previous Warrior edition that was introduced in 2019. The vehicle also boasts 32-inch Cooper Discovered all-terrain tyres, the Australian website explains.
It’s clear that the Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior has the Ford Ranger Raptor in its crosshairs, and it should also arrive just in time to take on the rebooted Toyota Hilux GR Sport model that’s said to be on course for later in 2021.
“We’ve taken everything we learned on the first Warrior, and the feedback we’ve received from customers and the media, to create a tough, capable, and refined vehicle that we think will be unrivalled in the dual-cab ute market in this country,” Premcar Engineering Director Bernie Quinn said. “It doesn’t just look the part. The Warrior is the real deal,” he enthused.
“Australia is a vast and truly unique place, and so the Warrior’s extensive engineering and testing program was designed to make sure it hits every requirement the Aussie ute owner has. That testing is now nearly complete, and that means a new Warrior is coming soon.”
But the question remains – will Nissan offer something similar to this in other countries? The Raptor is practically begging for some competition.
