Chassis Code Explained
| Segment | Meaning | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 160 | Series | Third-generation Patrol (1980); Safari in Japan, MQ in Australia |
| 161 | 1983 Japanese update | Safari series name after the 1983 update: SD33T turbo, five-speed manual, high-roof van |
| VR161 / KR161 | Preserved 1985 hardtop AD | Nissan's English page says VR161 and its Japanese page KR161 for the same car |
Confirm the type against the vehicle's own build plate and registration papers.
Key Takeaways
- Same series, three names. Patrol overseas, MQ in Australia, Safari in Japan.
- 1980 to 1987 is Nissan's dating for the generation, in Australia and the Middle East.
- Leaf springs on rigid axles, with a ladder frame; coil springs arrive with the next generation.
- A five-door, seven-seat wagon with air-conditioning was new with the 160.
- It was built in Barcelona from 1983, and sold in South Africa with a pickup.
- Export engines: Nissan lists a 2.8-litre petrol and a 3.3-litre diesel; the Japanese Safari cards below are comparisons.
Background
Names: Patrol, MQ, Safari, 160 and 161
Nissan's heritage page says the Patrol of 1951 became the Safari in Japan with the third-generation 160 in 1980, while overseas it stayed the Patrol. Nissan Australia lists this generation as the MQ Patrol, 1980 to 1987, and Nissan Middle East dates it the same way, adding that the Safari name was also used in South Africa. Japan's 1983 update was called the 161. Nissan's own Japanese and English pages disagree on one preserved 1985 Japanese hardtop: the English title says VR161, the Japanese page KR161. Treat a code as a lead and confirm it against the car's papers.
Body and equipment
Nissan Middle East says the 160 moved the Patrol from industry workhorse towards families and road driving, adding a five-door layout, seating for seven and air-conditioning. In South Africa it was the Patrol's official introduction, with a pickup and a long-wheelbase wagon that had horizontally split tailgates. Japan's launch range was different: standard-roof hardtop, high-roof hardtop and van, in DX and AD grades, six variants in all. A taller-roof van joined Japan's range with the 1983 update. Nissan's global Patrol history also lists power steering and a lockable rear differential on the 160.
Built in Spain, sold in South Africa
The 160 became the first Nissan made in Europe when production began in Barcelona in 1983, and Nissan's chronology records Nissan Motor Iberica starting Patrol production in January 1983. Nissan says the Patrol held half of the Spanish SUV market by 1988. A 160 may have been built in Japan or Spain, so read the build plate and registration papers.
Chassis and running gear
Nissan describes the Patrol as a robust frame on rigid leaf-spring suspension. Its preserved 1985 Japanese hardtop AD has parallel leaf springs at both ends, ventilated front discs, rear drums, 205/80R16 tyres and a 1,880 kg curb weight, on a 2,350 mm wheelbase. Japan's launch car had a ladder frame and a four-position transfer lever: 2WD, 4WD high, neutral and 4WD low. Nissan Middle East says all-round coil springs only arrived with the next generation, in 1987.
The 1987 Dakar car
Nissan Middle East's history shows a Patrol 160 'Fanta Limon' in the 1987 Paris-Dakar, where it became the first diesel to finish in the top 10. Nissan's own release gives the rally car a four-cylinder 2,800 cc turbodiesel with 146 hp. That is a competition build, so do not use it to identify a road car.
Japan's Safari 160 and 161, for comparison
Japan-market facts only. The Safari went on sale on 5 June 1980 with the 3.3-litre SD33 diesel, rated 95 PS. The 1983 update made it the 161, adding the 120 PS SD33T turbo diesel, a five-speed manual and a high-roof van. Nissan announced the Safari Granroad in October 1985. For grades, bodies and codes of the Japanese cars see the Safari 160 guide.
Technical Specifications
Export rows come from Nissan's export history; rows tagged Comparison are Japan's Safari. Verify an export car's engine and rating from its own market documents.
Engine Options
-
Patrol 2.8 petrol Export, Nissan global history
Petrol- Displacement
- 2.8 L
- Power
- 90 kW
Listed for the 160 in Nissan's global Patrol history. Nissan Australia's history lists the same two engines for the MQ at its 1980 introduction.
-
Patrol 3.3 diesel Export, Nissan global history
Diesel- Displacement
- 3.3 L
- Aspiration
- Diesel
- Power
- 70 kW
Listed for the 160 in Nissan's global Patrol history. Nissan Australia's history lists the same two engines for the MQ at its 1980 introduction.
-
Safari SD33 Japan, preserved 1985 hardtop AD
SD33 Comparison- Displacement
- 3,246 cc
- Power
- 95 PS (70.0 kW) @ 3,600 rpm
- Torque
- 216 N·m (22.0 kgf·m) @ 1,800 rpm
Comparison: Nissan Japan figures for a preserved 1985 standard-roof hardtop AD; net or gross is not stated.
-
Safari SD33T Japan, 161 update from 1983
SD33T Comparison- Aspiration
- Turbo diesel
- Power
- 120 PS
- Transmission
- Five-speed manual added with the 161
Comparison: Nissan Japan's published SD33T rating.
Variants & Trims
Japanese-market Safari grades, shown as comparisons.
| Generation | Trim | Engine | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160 series (Japan Safari, comparison) | DX and AD, June 1980 | SD33 | Standard-roof hardtop, high-roof hardtop and van; six launch variants (JAF Mate) |
| 160 series (Japan Safari, comparison) | AD standard-roof hardtop, 1985 | SD33 | 4,230 × 1,690 × 1,845 mm, 2,350 mm wheelbase, 1,880 kg curb weight, 205/80R16 tyres; Nissan type VR161 (English) or KR161 (Japanese) |
Should You Buy a Nissan Patrol 160?
Why You'll Love It
- A documented basic design Nissan describes a robust frame with rigid leaf-spring suspension, and publishes a full specification for a 1985 Japanese hardtop.
- Family-size body Nissan Middle East says the 160 added a five-door layout, seating for seven and air-conditioning.
- Sold widely Nissan records the 160 in Australia, South Africa and Japan, and as the first Nissan built in Europe.
Why You Might Not
- Leaf springs Nissan Middle East says all-round coil springs came with the next generation in 1987, so the 160 rides on leaves.
- Overlapping names MQ, Patrol, Safari, 160 and 161 describe related cars; Nissan's own pages disagree on a code for one preserved Japanese hardtop.
Who Should NOT Buy This
- Anyone who wants coil-spring ride: Nissan Middle East says that began with the next generation, in 1987.
Differences between JDM & USDM
This page is for the export-market Patrol. Japan sold the same series as the Safari, with its own grades and engines; those appear here only as labelled comparisons, and the full Japanese picture is in the Safari 160 guide. For import, US federal safety eligibility is 25 years from the individual vehicle's manufacture date. EPA's separate 21-year rule requires original configuration or a qualifying equivalent or newer EPA-certified replacement engine and emissions system. State rules vary. Canada uses 15 years, counted by manufacture month and year; customs and provincial registration remain separate.
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Check market, body, engine papers and build place first.
Critical Priority
High Priority
Medium Priority
Generation History
Generation span (Nissan Australia and Nissan Middle East) (1980–1987)
- Nissan Australia lists the MQ Patrol as 1980–1987 and Nissan Middle East dates the 160 the same way
- Japan's Safari went on sale on 5 June 1980
Japan Safari launch (5 June 1980)
- DX and AD grades on hardtop and van bodies; SD33 diesel, 95 PS
- Ladder frame with leaf-sprung rigid axles
Barcelona production (January 1983)
- Nissan Motor Iberica starts producing the Patrol (Safari in Japan)
- The 160 is the first Nissan made in Europe
Japan 161 update (1983)
- SD33T turbo diesel at 120 PS, five-speed manual and a high-roof van
Safari Granroad (Japan) (October 1985)
- Nissan announces the Granroad with a minor change across the Safari series
Dakar competition car (1987)
- Patrol 160 Fanta Limon: first diesel to finish in the Paris-Dakar top 10
- A competition build, not a production specification
The Buyer's Read
Decide first which car you are looking at. A Patrol, an Australian MQ and a Japanese Safari are the same 1980 to 1987 series, but they were sold and equipped differently, and a Spanish-built car adds another variable. Nissan's histories give the five-door, seven-seat wagon, the South African pickup and long wagon, and Barcelona production from 1983.
Then verify the drivetrain from documents. Nissan's export history lists a 2.8-litre petrol and a 3.3-litre diesel; verify an export car's engine from its own market documents. Japan's Safari used the SD33 diesel at 95 PS and, from 1983, the 120 PS SD33T; treat those as comparisons only. The chassis is a ladder frame on leaf springs, so inspect leaves, hangers and shackles.
Finally plan the import by build month. Age rules count from manufacture, EPA allows original configuration or a qualifying certified replacement, and the Dakar car is a competition build.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Nissan Patrol 160 the same as the Safari 160?
- Same series, different name by market. Nissan says the Patrol became the Safari in Japan with the 160 in 1980 and stayed the Patrol overseas, and Nissan Middle East adds that South Africa also used Safari. Australia calls the generation the MQ.
- What years was the 160 built?
- Nissan Australia and Nissan Middle East both give 1980 to 1987. Japan's Safari went on sale on 5 June 1980. Production in Barcelona began in January 1983.
- What engines did the export 160 have?
- Nissan's export history lists 2.8-litre petrol and 3.3-litre diesel options. Availability and ratings depend on market and year, so match the engine number to the car's documents. The Japanese Safari cards on this page are comparisons.
- Did the 160 have coil springs?
- No. Nissan describes a robust frame with rigid leaf-spring suspension, and Nissan Middle East says the next generation, in 1987, was the first Patrol with all-round coil springs.
- Where was the 160 built?
- Japan, and from 1983 Barcelona, where it was the first Nissan made in Europe. Nissan Middle East also records the Patrol's official introduction in South Africa, with a pickup and a long wagon.
- Can I import a 160 into the US or Canada?
- By age, yes: the US exemption needs a vehicle 25 or more years old by its manufacture date, and Canada's threshold is 15 years. EPA separately allows original configuration or a qualifying certified replacement, and state or provincial registration rules apply.
Sources & References
Sources (38)
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- Nissan Patrol turns 70 (Nissan Middle East) — Nissan Middle East Verified
- Nissan Patrol Super Safari catalogue (2017) — Nissan Middle East Verified
- 2007 Y61 Patrol ZD30-CRD technical training manual — Nissan Australia Verified
- ZD30DDTi common rail diesel engine training manual (2008) — Nissan Australia Verified
- Nissan Heritage Collection No.148: Safari 4WD Hardtop Standard roof AD — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- Nissan Heritage Collection No.501: Patrol (Safari) Std. Roof Granroad — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- Nissan Heritage Collection No.502: Patrol (Safari) 4-door Turbo Diesel Granroad — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- Nissan Heritage Collection No.148 (Japanese) — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- Nissan company chronology, 1980s — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- Safari (Y60, Y61) frame and engine number locations, with model dates — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- Safari minor change with the NEO Di diesel, 1999 — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- Safari minor change, November 2002 — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- Safari Granroad launch, October 1985 — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- Instrument panel warranty extension, 2011 — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- 30 years on: Nissan's iconic 1987 Paris-Dakar rally car rides again — Nissan Europe Verified
- First-generation Nissan Safari (160), Today's memories — JAF Mate Online Verified
- Nissan second-generation Safari vs Toyota Land Cruiser 80 — Motor-Fan Verified
- 1987 Nissan Safari reprint catalogue — CAR and DRIVER Verified
- History of the Nissan Safari — Best Car Verified
- Nissan Safari special feature — MOTA Verified
- Nissan Safari Kingsroad (1993) specifications — MOTA Verified
- Nissan Safari Spirit Type II (1995) specifications — MOTA Verified
- Nissan Safari RX (1997) specifications — MOTA Verified
- Nissan Safari Spirit Type I (1997) specifications — MOTA Verified
- Nissan Safari Super Spirit grade page — Motor-Fan Verified
- Nissan Safari Super Spirit catalogue — Response Verified
- Used Nissan Patrol Y61 review — ReDriven Verified
- 49 CFR 591.5: Exemptions from importation requirements — Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School Verified
- Importing Older Vehicles into Canada — Transport Canada Verified
- Learn About Importing Vehicles and Engines — US Environmental Protection Agency Verified
- EPA: importing motor vehicles and engines (Customs and EPA import guide) — US Environmental Protection Agency Verified
- The 2013 all-new Nissan Patrol, with global and Australian Patrol history (Nissan Australia, 2012) — Nissan Australia Verified
- Nissan Patrol heritage (Nissan Australia) — Nissan Australia Verified
- Nissan Middle East revives its iconic Patrol Super Safari (2017) — Nissan Motor Corporation Verified
- Nissan celebrates rich heritage of the Patrol Super Safari with exclusive 2024 'Al Ostoura' edition — Nissan Middle East Verified
- GQ Patrol (1988), used car research — GoAuto Verified
- Nissan Safari 4.2 hardtop Kingsroad diesel turbo 4WD specifications — Carsensor Verified
Sources last verified: