One of the world's greatest off-road vehicles, the fifth generation Nissan Patrol, isn't just surviving in the arid desert conditions in the Middle East, it's thriving.

Nissan has announced that they have expanded the model range of the Patrol Safari (GU) in a region known for its affinity towards 4x4's that the world considers to be 'classic' like the Land Cruiser (J70). The Patrol Safari (known locally as the Super Safari when Nissan discontinued the model) now gets two new upgraded versions named after animals from the region: the Falcon, Gazelle, and Gazelle X.

While Nissan didn't specify the upgrades they made, the Patrol Falcon appears to be a lightly modified version of the Patrol with some cosmetic differences such as black fender flares and the like. The Patrol Gazelle sees the addition of a snorkel, a different front bumper that enhances the approach angle, and larger wheels.

The Gazelle X builds on that and adds a roof rack, a steel bumper with a winch (presumably), and what appears to be beadlock wheels. A photo of the Gazelle X also shows it has upgraded dampers with external reservoirs. 

“At Nissan we understand the importance of the Patrol Safari to the people of the Gulf, and in response to popular demand, we have launched these three editions that are exclusive to the region,” said Kalyana Sivagnanam, regional vice president, Marketing and Sales, Nissan AMI and president of Nissan Middle East. “We are confident that the launch of the Patrol Falcon, Gazelle and Gazelle X will further cement the car's status as the all-conquering, off-roading vehicle of choice for desert-lovers in the Middle East."

The launching of the three new versions of the Patrol GU, a model generation that has been around since 1997, is in response to the a 30% growth for the model in the region compared to the same period in 2017. This is in contrast to the typical trend of older generation models to decrease in sales as time goes by. Nissan says that “the Patrol Safari continues to impress with its ruggedness, durability and ability to cope with the extremes of the varied terrains and temperatures that are prevalent in the region.”

In 2017, Nissan Philippines discontinued the Patrol Super Safari (GU) with the 38 unit limited run called the Legend Edition.