V8 SUVs, dune-bashing, mile-munching and more – the Nissan SUV Heritage Drive gave us a glimpse of the good life in Dubai.
Recently, I found myself in downtown Dubai. So, naturally, the next thing I knew I was on board a thundering V8. For a moment – 35 minutes, to be precise – I felt like I belonged there, in that over-the-top desert extravaganza. I may even have fooled myself into believing that I hail from a royal lineage, with a couple of oil wells to my name. If you think about it, driving a massive V8 machine in a city centre would make you look utterly outrageous everywhere else in the world. But in the Middle East, it’s the norm. And if you try to look for reasonable explanations for everything that this place has to offer, you’re more likely to go barking mad than to find one. Whether skyscrapers, malls or cars, money virtually oozes from every aspect of life in Dubai – to such an extent that the lack of it almost feels like a crime.
Given the city’s imperial approach to everything, it’s obvious that SUVs are immensely popular in this part of the world. And by SUVs, I mean full-size 4x4 behemoths, and not just anything that rides 10mm higher than other vehicles. What’s more, since there are virtually no import duties on cars sold here, Dubai is an open market with all kinds of heavyweights on sale. However, despite the availability of varied options, people seem to be most fond of the Japanese manufacturers. It’s no wonder, then, that I was given a Nissan Patrol to drive for half a day.
The mighty Patrol
The Patrol is one of the best-selling vehicles in the country, with apparently over 40% market share in its segment. More importantly, the car has gained cult status amongst the locals, since it’s reliable, highly tuneable – remember the drag race between that 1,900bhp Patrol and Porsche 918 in The Grand Tour – and it’s also an impeccable off-roader. It has both V6 and V8 petrol engines on offer, but people obviously prefer to opt for the latter. Heck, there’s even a NISMO version!
Now, we were invited to Dubai by Nissan to drive four Nissan SUVs – the Patrol, of course, Pathfinder, X-Trail and the Kicks. The proceedings kicked-off with a drive to Ras al Khaimah, and, thankfully, my journey began in the most badass SUV of the lot – a jet black Patrol V8.
The journey to Ras al Khaimah was a 120-kilometre drive. We covered it in just over an hour, thanks to the impeccable road network between the two Emirates. The drive was quite eventful, as every two minutes or so, I’d see a supercar or an insanely modified pick-up truck shoot past us. The fun part is that the Patrol could easily keep up with these big boys, thanks to its monstrous 5.6-litre V8 that produces around 400bhp and 560Nm. Sure, at 2,800kgs, it’s as heavy as they come, but the way its motor builds up speeds is something to experience. On reaching our destination, we got the chance to do some dune-bashing with the Patrol, which it did with such as ease that it felt like we were surfing in the sand. This is basically a go-anywhere V8 muscle car, so it’s no surprise that the locals love it so much.
Get your kicks...
On the way back, I was given a Pathfinder and was paired with another journalist – who took the wheel first. Ironically enough, we lost our way back in the ‘Pathfinder.’ And consequently, we missed our mid-way halt and couldn’t stop to switch drivers. I was happy to sit shotgun after a ‘hard day’s work.’ All I can say about the Pathfinder is that it felt a great deal more comfortable than the Patrol on the road, thanks to its crossover underpinnings.
The next day, it was time to get a taste of the X-Trail and Kicks. Frankly, I spent very little time with the X-Trail, and, all of it was in traffic, so I couldn’t really form an opinion. As for the Kicks, well, I actually lost my way – I know, I know, again – while heading back to the hotel as my navigation device lost connectivity. So, for three hours or so, I wandered around directionless on the streets of Dubai. On the flip side, I got to spend more time behind the wheel of the Kicks.
Of course, driving a small car like the Kicks made me stand out like a sore thumb in a place like Dubai. But, surprisingly, its 118bhp 1.6-litre petrol motor packs enough punch. The CVT transmission is decent too, although it does delay progress under hard acceleration. You see, I could tell you a whole lot more about this car, but the thing is that it’s not coming to India. So what’s the point? The India-spec Kicks will be based on a completely different platform – the same that underpins the Terrano / Renault Duster. And consequently, it’ll be longer, wider and more spacious. And if we’re to believe Nissan India, it’s going to have many additional features.
Considering everything, this experiential drive was a good two-day vacation – ahem, work trip. The time spent driving the Patrol V8 was obviously the highlight of my trip. And, if by some miracle, one day I wake up as a Sheikh, I wouldn’t mind a big-burly V8 like that. But now that I’m back in India to my old humdrum life, all I can do is be a realist and wait for the new Kicks – which is due in January 2019. We’ll just have to wait and see if it can cut it in the Indian market.
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