Nissan and Premcar unleash new PRO-4X Warrior

Nissan Australia has unleashed the Navara PRO-4X Warrior. Fettled by local engineering arm, Premcar, the PRO-4X Warrior is wider, taller and tougher than the MY21 Navara PRO-4X it’s based on.

This isn’t the first tickled Navara to make its way out of the Premcar factory in Epping, Victoria, either, with the success of the N-TREK Warrior ─ based on the previous-gen N-TREK Navara ─ strengthening the collaboration between Nissan and Premcar.

This time, the N-TREK nomenclature has been flicked for 'PRO-4X’, and the boffins at Premcar have extensively revised Navara componentry to make the PRO-4X Warrior a true halo model in the Navara shed.

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One of the most notable revisions can be found beneath the vehicle, with Premcar revising the suspension set-up considerably. This includes modifications to the front and rear springs and dampers to ensure the Warrior remains proficient both on- and off-road ─ watch Premcar’s head of programs, Tom Imbesi, discuss this in detail in the above video.

It’s not simply a matter of adding new springs and dampers and hoping for the best, either; it’s a thorough process that involves plenty of testing and fine-tuning to ensure every change made is durable and passes strict homologation testing.

Suspension lift ─ in combination with the tyres ─ means ground clearance is now 260mm (up from 220mm in PRO-4X grade), approach angle is 36 degrees (up from 32), departure angle drops fractionally to 19 degrees (down from 19.8), and it has a claimed wading depth of 600mm. A widened track ─ from 1570mm to 1600mm ─ not only gives the vehicle its muscular appearance, but is expected make the vehicle more settled on both bitumen and dirt, something that was important to Premcar with its 'no-compromise’ attitude.

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The tough look and wider profile is enhanced by fender flares, while the range-topper rides on 17-inch alloy wheels unique to the Warrior and 275/70/R17 Cooper Discoverer All-Terrain AT3 carried over from the N-TREK Warrior.

Significantly, the Warrior has been engineered with a 100kg GVM upgrade (now 3250kg), which means that, despite all the extra gear associated with the Warrior, this still allows for a payload of 961kg (manual) and 952kg (automatic).

Unlike the bumper found on the N-TREK Warrior, the updated Safari-style bar on the PRO-4X Warrior is now winch-compatible (hooray) and features an integrated LED light bar. Beneath the bar is a Navara-branded bash plate ─ only available in red ─ and 3mm steel underbody protection to protect vital components.

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The engine remains unchanged, with Premcar contemplating but opting not to tickle with vital powertrain components.

"We know we can get more power and torque out of this engine. We've proven that. The problem is managing that particularly from a heat point of view," said Premcar's engineering director, Bernie Quinn. "This car now with the NVH improvements particularly and the dual-drive modes, is a really nice car to drive and it really doesn't need any more power and torque. It never feels flustered. It never feels like it's working too hard, so it really didn't make sense to do it.”

Like the rest of the MY21 Navara range, the 2.3-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine produces 140kW and 450Nm from as low as 1500rpm. Seven-speed automatic and six-speed manual transmissions will be available, while a snorkel is an optional extra.

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The PRO-4X Warrior is equipped with the full suite of safety systems found in the PRO-4X including Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking, Intelligent Driver Alertness, Intelligent Lane Intervention, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning and Intelligent Around View Monitor. The interior is identical to the PRO-4X save for some embroided headrests and Warrior insignia.

A full-size spare resides in a purpose-built cavity, and the modified towbar is much like the one found behind the N-TREK Warrior.

Unlike the N-TREK Warrior ─ which had a 12-month production lifespan, resulting in the sale of 1400 units ─ production of the PRO-4X Warrior will run for the entirety of the current-model Navara’s lifespan from Premcar’s Epping facility.

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Bernie Quinn explained to 4X4 Australia that this long-term contract is great for Australian manufacturing.

"We have an ongoing contract, which means we can have stability and we can provide long-term prospects for employment for people, which is just an awesome position to be in,” Quinn said.

"Production is scheduled at 32 a week, but we’ll be supply-constrained at that. The facility is capable of doing more. At the peak of N-TREK Warrior we were doing 13 per day, which we can do in one shift.”

Another sizeable shift in production philosophy was one forced on Premcar by the current COVID-19 pandemic, with early restrictions affecting the supply of parts from China for the N-TREK Warrior.

"One of the problems we had with the N-TREK Warrior was that it was a very peculiar time in the whole industry with COVID, and we got hit with it before COVID even reached Australia,” Bernie Quinn explained. "We had parts coming out of China and we couldn't get them. So that was restricting us from supply in the early days.

"We thought we had to deal with it this time. We’ve now gone for a local-sourcing strategy wherever we can do it,” Quinn said.

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More than 80 per cent of parts added to the PRO-4X Warrior at Premcar's Epping facility are now locally sourced, as opposed to around 60 per cent of parts for the N-TREK Warrior.

"The supply base never died here. The strongest of the suppliers survived and diversified, like we did. So there’s a supply base here that’s the best-of-the-best still that we can source components and services from if we have to.

"The strongest companies with a strategic mindset have adjusted their strategy to deal with a new reality. It’s not 100,000 cars being built out of Broadmeadows, 100,000 out of Elizabeth in SA, or 100,000 out of Altona, it’s about niche manufacturing, secondary manufacturing, and it’s a growing, thriving industry.”

The PRO-4X Warrior is expected to be in showrooms "in the next few months”, but the exact date is yet to be confirmed by Nissan Australia. Pricing will also be revealed closer to the launch date.

For reference, the N-TREK Warrior when launched was priced at $62,990 driveaway (or $65,490 for an auto). The vehicle will remain supported by a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty.