Right from its onset the GQ Patrol two-door hardtop and four-door wagon variants shot Nissan into the 4WD big time. It offered buyers exceptional on-road comfort and refinement combined with excellent off-road ability at a fraction of the Range Rover’s (rising) price, as well as chunky, modern good looks. New to the GQ was the long-travel all-round coil suspension, 125kW/325Nm 4.2-litre OHV TB42 six-cylinder engine, four-speed automatic option and an 85kW/264Nm 4.2-litre OHV diesel unit. The MQ’s straight-line 4WD transfer shift pattern was retained though improved and refined, while on-the-fly low to 2-high to 4-high was now possible. Cabin space increased markedly, while comfort features included power steering, radio, clock and a tachometer. The GQ range consisted of the two-door five-seat Hardtop and four-door wagon in DX and ST guises – with the latter two in six and seven seven-seater configurations respectively.