The refreshed Nissan Patrol has been on the market internationally for a few years now. The SUV originally debuted back in September 2019. But only now did the Japanese automaker reveal the new NISMO version. Before you say it’s just a dressed-up Patrol with red accents, Nissan’s in-house tuning division made upgrades beyond the usual styling makeover.

Still, it’s hard not to talk about the new design, and it looks good. The Patrol NISMO features a revised front end with a new grille with a honeycomb pattern. The new bumper features L-shaped vents on the corners and a large center intake below. Apart from the chrome strips on the grille, the accents are finished in black, giving the SUV a mean look.

Rather than chunky off-road tires, the high-performance SUV rides on 22-inch wheels. At the rear, a new bumper with an integrated center brake light inspired by Formula 1 cars has been fitted. This being the NISMO variant, it is fitted with a twin-tip exhaust, a spoiler, and NISMO badges. Nissan says all the exterior upgrades are for better “aerodynamics” and are all “functional”.

Under the hood of the Patrol NISMO sits the same naturally aspirated 5.6-liter V8 engine. However, the craftsmen who also build the GT-Rs engine tuned it to produce 428 HP and 560 Nm torque. Interestingly, the new 22-inch wheels are also lighter than before. As a result, it saves around 4.5kg of unsprung weight. NISMO also fiddled with the suspension by adding a Bilstein setup for sharper cornering.

Like the other NISMO models, the cabin has been upgraded. The seats are sportier and the interior spiced up with a black-red theme. There’s also a NISMO cluster and carbon fiber bits all around. The layout, however, is simply lifted from the refreshed Patrol. Per the usual, Nissan Intelligent Mobility suite of safety systems come standard.

The 2021 Nissan Patrol NISMO will be available in the Middle East starting April 2021. Prices begins at AED 385,000, or roughly PHP 5.1 million. It's a lot of money for an SUV, that's for sure. But hey, it’s built by NISMO, and we want it.