Records tumble for famed off-roader making it the Most Awarded SUV in the Region with 24 prestigious awards

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 26 January 2015

As the Nissan Patrol continues to notch record sales throughout the Middle East, the 'Hero of All Terrains in Life' is also underscoring its soaring success with 24 prestigious awards and claiming the Most Awarded SUV in the Region.

April-November Patrol sales for 2014 for the Middle East were up a staggering 90 per cent compared to the same period the previous year.

Since last September, the Patrol has recorded an average of 49% market share in UAE (Sept to Dec 2014), outselling its competitors during the four months and maintaining its leadership in the large SUV segment.

Nissan's flagship model in the Middle East received the awards from some of the top regional titles in 2014, including: BBC Top Gear Middle East, Sport Auto magazine, Saudi Auto magazine, Motorshow, PR Arabia Awards, Saudi Motors, Entrepreneur Middle East magazine, Automobile magazine, Automobile TV Show, Aswak Al Sayara Al Arabia, Car Xpress magazine, Evo Middle East, Middle East Car magazine, Gulf Autos, Auto Middle East, Alam Al Sayyarat, Aswak Al Sayyarat, Car Express, Car on Web, Cars & Speed and Guinness World Records.

Samir Cherfan, managing director, Nissan Middle East, says: "Patrol is exceeding our expectations and is well above the targeted sales we were aiming for. The 24 awards that the Patrol received makes us very proud as it reflects the quality of this tremendous vehicle that is an integral part of Middle East motoring."

"The Patrol has an extremely loyal following throughout the Middle East and this is mirrored by the record number of vehicles leaving the showrooms. Indeed, this loyalty stretches back many decades but we also banked on reaching a new audience with the new vehicle and it's clear we have succeeded, which is one of the reasons we are in such a strong position with the Patrol."  

The Patrol is built with the high level of safety, performance and quality that characterises the Japanese brand. According to the latest sales figures, Nissan Patrol commands an impressive 28 per cent of the top-end SUV segment in the Middle East. The model is tailored to the tough climate and terrain of the Middle East. Nissan engineers have put in over 13,000 hours testing Patrol prototypes in the desert world.

"The Patrol's reputation as a highly-capable, durable and reliable off-roader is second-to-none in the Middle East market. We are clearly delighted with the accolades we are receiving from the media but our main award will continue to be the satisfaction of our customers" Cherfan added.  

Many of what are now the world's leading automotive technologies made their debut in the Patrol. They include the Hydraulic Body Motion Control System(HBMC) which keeps the car flatter with less body roll during lane-changing and cornering, while delivering excellent  stability on rugged and sandy tracks.

The Patrol boasts an All-Mode 4x4 system, which allows the driver to quickly switch between four drive modes - sand, on-road, snow and rock - with the mere flick of a switch. The Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control functions also can be selected easily with the touch of a button for braking on slope road surfaces.   

-Ends-

About Nissan Middle East:
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. became the first Japanese car manufacturer to establish a regional Middle East headquarters in June 1994. Nissan operations now cover over 20 countries across the region making it one of the best represented Japanese automotive brands in the Middle East. From its pioneering crossover vehicles and class-leading small cars to the legendary Nissan GT-R and all-conquering SUVs such as the 'Hero of All Terrain', Nissan Patrol, Nissan Middle East's vehicle line-up is one of the broadest and most popular in the region, covering almost every segment of the automotive market.

Please visit the Nissan Media Channel on www.nissan-me.com or 'Like' us at www.facebook.com/NissanME

For Nissan Middle East FZE media enquiries:
Yolande Pineda
Director, Corporate Communications Department
Nissan Middle East FZE
Tel: +971 4 881 7500
Fax: +971 4 881 9747
E-mail: yolande@nissan-me.ae

Mohammed Al Tawil
Media Relations Manager
Nissan Middle East
Tel: +971 4 803 2319
E-mail: mohammed.tawil@nissan-me.ae

Alaa Hamadeh
Account Manager
Tel: +971 4 305 0323
Mob: +971 50 8707 311
E-mail: alaa.hamadeh@ogilvy.com

© Press Release 2015