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Nissan Patrol Gannas launched in capital

An officially modified Nissan Patrol has just been launched by Al Masaood Automobiles, the Nissan dealer in Abu Dhabi. Al Masaood has chosen its rather luxurious V8 Nissan Patrol to turn into an off-road vehicle, which was re-named Nissan Patrol Gannas.
"The Nissan distributor in Dubai has launched their own modified Patrol and now we did one too in Abu Dhabi, with our own modifications" said Alaadin Srour, in charge of Marketing at Al Masaood.
Gannas, which means "hunting" in Arabic, has been equipped with six millimetres aluminium skid plate - five pieces that protect the underneath of the car from bumper to bumper. It has also got some of the best off road suspensions available on the market, the new Old Man Emu BP 51 shocks and springs for both front and rear.
Another big expense modification is the rims, which were replaced with dual 18 inch Beadlock rims (five of them, including the spare), which means tyres can be nearly flat deflated to as low as five psi to allow for more grip during driving in very soft sand, without the tyre coming off the rim.
Gannas has also got an air compressor fitted on the trunk that allows tyre pressure inflation anywhere, anytime, and a flagpole fitted on the original rails on the roof of the car.
Other useful off road features include ABS disconnect switch, adding more power while driving over dunes, a GPS navigation system with updated, 2016 maps and a snatch strap to pull the vehicle out when stuck in the sand.
All these have "boosted" the Patrol's price by Dh30,000, from Dh230,000 to Dh260,000.
"In 1994-1995 we have launched Gannas as the fifth generation of Nissan Patrol, equipped with sand tyres. Today we have revived the concept and developed an exclusive vehicle fully equipped for off road passion," said Houmayum Alam, general manager of Al Masaood.
Upon request, the company would also modify its recently launched V6 Nissan Patrol.
In parallel with Gannas, Al Masaood also launched the new 2017 pick-up Navara, which replaces its previous pick-up trucks. The 2017 model is more aerodynamic, more comfortable to drive and it has got more options, such as camera park sensor or Bluetooth.
In the GCC, the engines are carried over from the previous generation but with new transmissions. It is offered with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine or a 2.5-litre turbo diesel engine, both of which come with either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed automatic transmission. Just as the new Nissan Patrol V6, the Navara was tested by the UAE Army in Liwa's Empty Quarter desert, the toughest off road terrain in this part of the world, and then driven off road for two to three days, all the way to Fujairah.
According to Al Masaood, the Navara did well and it got the seal of approval from the Army drivers.
- silvia@khaleejtimes.com