Nissan Patrol TDi

The compromise between heavy-duty tow vehicle and off-duty passenger carrier doesn't come any closer than these two bush bashing behemoths. And Nissan's just upped the ante, dropping a turbocharger and intercooler onto its hardworking, six-cylinder diesel engine.

Forced induction - and the inherent torque increase - make the Patrol even more alluring to trailerboaters, and we've just spent a week in one. Many thanks to the boys at JV Marine - we also spent the weekend with a Whittley Sea Legend 601 trailerboat to tow and test. That boat test is another story, so we'll concern ourselves with the big Nissan on this page.

Nissan upgraded its GU Patrol range in February 2003 with mostly specification and cosmetic changes, the turbocharger added to the diesel six the most significant mechanical change.

The 4.2lt six-cylinder engine's peak power didn’t increase from 114kW, Nissan engineers instead concentrating on boosting torque, which jumped 9% from 330Nm to 360Nm at 2000rpm.

The turbo-diesel is available on DX and ST wagon and ute models hooked to a five-speed manual transmission. The ST wagon also gains cruise control as part of the upgrade.

The Patrol's tow rating remains unchanged at 3500kg with trailer brakes, 750kg without, and easily accounted for our needs over the weekend. The Whittley Sea Legend we towed weighed in at around 1500kg with 175hp Yamaha two-stroke and trailer.

On major roads the Patrol loped happily along at 80kmh in fifth gear and had torque in reserve for acceleration and overtaking without dropping down a cog. In the tighter stop-and-go world of urban driving, the Patrol accelerated willingly up to speed without us needing to rev the gears overly hard. The diesel's rev ceiling is just the other side of 4000rpm, but we never got close, the big truck doing its best work between 1500 and 3000rpm.

Gear changes are not silky smooth as the robust gearbox is built with durability in mind, not sportscar shifting, so each gear change needs a committed, unhurried throw. Reining in more than 3500kg of boat and truck proved no problem, the Patrol's ABS-equipped disc brakes more than up to the job. They are helped, no doubt, by the trailer's brakes, but nonetheless everything stayed calm - especially when that bloke in the Hyundai cut in front of us approaching a red light.

Prices for the turbo-diesel Patrol start at $54,180, stretching to $58,990 for the model we tested. For that you get all the usual mod cons like electric windows and mirrors, air-conditioning, remote central locking, CD player and seats for seven. The Patrol includes dual power outlets, driver's airbag and cruise control, while the vehicle we tested was fitted with optional passenger airbag and anti-lock brakes ($2000 safety pack).

It's obvious vehicles like the Patrol are built primarily for rugged, bulletproof offroading. It's becoming equally important in vehicles of this type to have peerless towing and transporting versatility. We reckon big SUVs are used just as much for hauling boats, caravans and all sorts of large leisure-time equipment as they are for conquering the outback.

The new turbocharged diesel six makes the Nissan Patrol even harder to overlook for anyone whose requirements are nearer the top end of the towing spectrum.

For more info on the Whittley 601 Sea Legend, call JV Marine, tel (03) 9798 8883.