New Nissan Navara OFF-ROADER AT32 launched

Nissan has added a tough new OFF-ROADER AT32 model to its Navara pickup range, bringing formidable off-road ability to the Mitsubishi L200 and Renault Alaskan rival.

Competition in the UK pickup market is getting fierce and Nissan has turned to the Icelandic off-road experts at Arctic Trucks to give the Navara an edge over rivals for all-terrain prowess. As its name suggests, the resultant Navara OFF-ROADER AT32 is promised to go further off the beaten track than the Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok or Isuzu D-Max.

Reykjavik-based Arctic Trucks is famed for giving ordinary four-wheel-drive pickups and SUVs the fortifications necessary to take on some of the most inhospitable terrain on the planet. It has teamed up with Nissan to produce the extreme Navara, which will be sold through Nissan dealers across Europe as the company's first pickup to be developed with outside assistance.

The first Arctic Trucks upgrade you notice is the colossal 32-inch all-terrain tyres that lend the OFF-ROADER AT32 its name. Big enough to allow low-pressure running on soft sand and snow, they're wrapped around specially designed 17-inch wheels; fitting them under the Navara's frame is possible thanks to lifted suspension that increases ride height by 20mm.

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Underneath, protective panels shield the fuel tank and mechanical components from off-road damage. You can add a snorkel for deep-water wading and the standard locking rear differential can be joined by a locking front diff for tight off-road maneuvers. And since the OFF-ROADER AT32 is based on the four-door Navara double-cab, up to five people can join the adventure.

Nissan's claims show just how much Arctic Trucks' modifications have strengthened the Navara's off-road credentials. It can now mount 35-degree obstructions (up from 30.4), while the risk of the pickup's belly grounding out is reduced by a breakover angle of 24 degrees (up from 22.2). All-terrain enthusiasts will know that these figures aren't to be sniffed at.

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Thanks to its extreme go-anywhere looks, the OFF-ROADER AT32 has bags of visual appeal even if you prefer to stay on tarmac. Standing 40mm higher than a regular Navara overall, the pickup is made even more imposing by eye-catching wheelarch extensions.

Buyers will be reassured that the Navara's five-year/100,000-mile warranty remains, while the Arctic Trucks upgrades are covered by the a separate five-year policy. Prices have yet to be announced.