Will debut May 18th, not on a mountain.
Americans are an odd bunch. While most of us might enjoy a bit of off-roading from time to time, trust the Yanks to find a way to dial it up to eleven, even if only as an excuse to hold some form of a symposium to gather people with identically-odd hobbies. Of course, these left-of-field types also tend to have a bit of buying power, which is why you’ll see manufacturers try and pander to their interests from time to time.
Take this, for example. Japanese carmaker Nissan has taken a standard Armada V8 full-size SUV, given it about three syringes worth of steroids, and will now ship it off to wow people at the 2018 Overland Expo (West) in Arizona. Meet the Armada Mountain Patrol, a one-off vehicle designed to do a specific type of off-roading called ‘overlanding,’ which as far as this writer can work out is a combination of off-roading and tenting.
To handle the former half of those requirements, the Armada Mountain Patrol comes with custom steel bumpers on either end, as well as rock sliders to, well, let it slide over rocks. Visibility is handled by an array of LED lights on the roof, supplemented by fog lights, and lights in the wheel wells. Should you still manage to find your way into a ditch, you’ll be saved by the Warn Platinum Series winch (rated for 5.44-tonnes), though the recovery boards and space for extra petrol will likely see you power out of a sticky situation all on your own.
The Armada Mountain Patrol clearly doesn’t want you using that winch too often, which is why the whole thing sits on taller coiler suspension supplied by Icon Vehicle Dynamics. And in case the wilderness is to quiet for you, Magnaflow’s got you covered with a unique exhaust system to let the 5.6-litre V8 petrol mill breathe (rated at 298kW/560Nm). Power will likely go to all-four wheels via the same 7-speed automatic as the standard car, though.
As for the tenting part of the equation, the Armada Mountain Patrol is perhaps the close as you’re going to get to a motel in the middle of nowhere. A tent on the roof sleeps four, but as the Armada can carry a total of 8 passengers, the rest can go in a pop-up that can be placed on the ground. Before bed, you can enjoy drinks from your fridge/freezer or the Otterbox coolers beneath the safety provided by your extendable awning. Yes, this is all standard.
If some of you, or even one of you, have started salivating, we’ve got some bad news. Not only is the Armada Mountain Patrol a one-off showcar, in case you forgot, you can’t get the Armada here. So get back in your Jayco and get on with it.
For more information on Nissan, check out our Showroom.
