NISSAN Australia has lastly revealed specs of its locally-developed Navara Professional-4X Warrior ute flagship, though these hoping for an official price ticket must wait a bit of longer as model executives say the “pricing approvals course of” remains to be ongoing.
In contrast with its predecessor’s year-long manufacturing run, the brand new Warrior is promised to turn into a everlasting member of the Australian D23 Navara vary for the rest of its lifecycle – and abroad curiosity might yield export alternatives, notably to South Africa and New Zealand.
Talking to media on the Warrior’s nationwide unveiling, Nissan Australia native product growth and enhancement senior supervisor Matt Baily mentioned he anticipated annual Navara Warrior gross sales to exceed the 1400 models achieved by the earlier model.
“We’re planning on producing in extra of 1500 a yr and I feel present manufacturing capability is round 32 per week,” mentioned Mr Baily.
“However I’m assured that now we have the flexibility to scale up on that a bit of bit.”
A Nissan Australia spokesperson added that greater than 400 expressions of curiosity had been obtained for the Navara Warrior within the house of per week.
Due in showrooms “throughout the subsequent few months”, the brand new Warrior might be provided in each handbook and computerized varieties however with no adjustments made to any of the powertrain, that means it can share the identical 140kW/450Nm outputs as the remainder of the Navara vary.
Premcar engineering director Bernie Quinn – whose firm partnered with Nissan to develop the Warrior – mentioned that whereas there has all the time been a temptation to squeeze extra energy out of the twin-turbo 2.3-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, query marks hovered over the validity of such modifications.
“It’s a typical query and it’s one thing we do get suggestions on,” he mentioned.
“The primary concern is making it dependable… we all know we are able to get extra energy and torque out of this engine, the issue is managing that, notably from a warmth viewpoint.
“You’ll be able to go and make one thing that’s obtained a bit of bit extra energy and a bit of bit extra torque and for 90 per cent of its obligation cycle life, it’s going to be superb.
“However go and tow a caravan up ‘Massive Sally’ or no matter and also you begin burning your (catalytic converter), you begin destroying your turbo … destroying parts is an enormous drawback.
“In the event you weigh it up towards what further worth does it get, what’s the rise in absolute efficiency to the man or woman that purchased that automotive, there’s little or no profit.”
As an alternative, Premcar targeted on enhancing the usual Navara Professional-4X’s off-road capabilities and upping the visible ante even additional within the course of.
In comparison with its donor automotive, the Warrior rides 40mm increased with floor clearance now as much as 260mm. Mixed with the brand new hoopless bullbar, this improves the method angle from 32 levels to 36.
Against this, the departure angle has been lowered from 19.8 levels to 19 on the account of the modified towbar mounting.
Regardless of the additional clearance, the usual Navara’s 600mm wading depth has been carried throughout to the Warrior, that means it nonetheless lags behind the 800mm depth claimed by different dual-cabs such because the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50.
The entrance and rear tracks have additionally been widened by 30mm as a result of extra aggressive 275/70/R17 Cooper Discoverer AT3 tyres – changing the Professional-4X’s 255/65/R17 Yokohama Geolandar A/Ts – housed inside black wheelarch extensions that increase general width by 45mm, to 1920mm.
Greater than only a elevate equipment, Premcar has additionally fitted the Warrior with beefier dampers all spherical and gone to city on the spring charges, damping tune and rebound settings to retain the Professional-4X’s on-road manners whereas bettering its off-road capabilities.
A heavy-duty Navara-branded bash plate has been added to help peace of thoughts when off-roading, with the remainder of the undercarriage largely protected by a 3mm metal ‘second-stage safety plate’.
Furthering the sense of safety is the addition of winch compatibility to the revised bullbar – the previous N-Trek Warrior’s was not winch-compatible – whereas a snorkel is optionally out there for individuals who fancy testing the 600mm wading depth.
Mr Baily mentioned the “excessive” and “tremendous excessive” grade twin cab utes have been seeing probably the most gross sales progress throughout the phase, with robust buyer demand “for modifications over and above the bottom automobile”.
“That is the place the Professional-4X Warrior is available in; it’s very properly positioned to offer Australian prospects with what they need in a brand new ute,” he mentioned.
“It’s not sufficient simply to accessorise a automobile anymore. Clients demand that it’s developed for Australian circumstances, they demand that the automobile must be succesful off-road with out compromising on-road consolation.
“They need a hassle-free buy expertise and so they wish to benefit from the automobile and its capabilities. That enhanced functionality that you just see and with N-Trek Warrior, but in addition that premium specification instantly from the dealership.”
Given its makes use of the Professional-4X as its donor automotive, the brand new Warrior shares virtually all its commonplace gear, with highlights together with the acquainted 7.0-inch instrument cluster show and eight.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that includes each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Different inclusions are black sailplane sportsbars, leather-accented seats with energy adjustment for the driving force, crimson inside stitching, embossed Warrior logos, LED headlights, built-in LED lightbar and a full-size spare wheel.
The Warrior’s commonplace security options are headlined by ahead collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, driver alertness alert, lane-departure warning with lane-keep intervention, blind-spot monitoring, surround-view cameras with off-road monitor and rear cross-traffic alert.
Not neglecting the Navara’s origins as a workhorse nor the extra luxurious appointments of the Professional-4X, Premcar has gifted the brand new Warrior a 100kg GVM enhance over its donor automobile within the title of payload capability.
With a brand new GVM of 3250kg, Nissan says the handbook Warrior’s payload is rated as much as 961kg, or 953kg for the automated.
Both approach, each variations are nonetheless capable of tow as much as 3500kg braked.
“It will run for much longer than 12 months, it will run all through the mannequin life,” Mr Baily mentioned.
“It’ll be a everlasting addition to the vary … there might be limits by way of manufacturing capability.
Mr Baily additionally revealed there to have been curiosity within the Warrior from abroad, together with the South African and New Zealand markets.
