Nissan Safari I (Y60) photos

Manufactured from 1987 to 1997, the Y60 series represented the first generation marketed broadly in Japan under the standalone Safari identity while serving globally as the fourth-generation Nissan Patrol (known as GQ in Australia and GR in Europe). The defining engineering advancement over the preceding leaf-sprung 160 series was the transition to a three-link live front axle and five-link live rear axle suspended entirely on coil springs, delivering substantially better ride comfort, wheel articulation, and handling stability without sacrificing heavy-duty durability. Built on a rigid ladder-frame chassis, the Safari Y60 was offered in multiple body configurations, including a short-wheelbase three-door hardtop, a long-wheelbase five-door station wagon available with either a standard flat roof or an elevated High Roof (Grantham and Kingsroad trims), and specialized utility variants. The powertrain lineup was anchored by robust inline-six engines, most notably the legendary 4.2-liter TD42 naturally aspirated and turbocharged diesel units, the 4.2-liter TB42 petrol engine (available in carbureted TB42S and fuel-injected TB42E forms), and the 2.8-liter RD28T turbodiesel. These engines were paired with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission, sending power through a dual-range part-time transfer case, often supplemented by a rear differential lock and a stabilizing sway-bar disconnect mechanism. Minor updates during the early and mid-1990s brought revised front grilles, wider fender flares, ergonomic cabin improvements, and electronic fuel injection on petrol trims. The Safari nameplate was primarily sold in the Japanese domestic market, with grey-market imports finding wide popularity across New Zealand, Australia, Russia, and Southeast Asia.