Courtesy of a suspension lift kit and extreme off-road tires, among other goodies
Nissan's biggest SUV has just got more imposing with the Snow Patrol project vehicle that will debut at the 2018 Chicago Auto Show (February 10-19). As the name suggests, it's a 2018 Armada built for extreme winter driving, courtesy of several upgrades that improve its off-road capabilities.
Chief among those is a three-inch suspension lift, along with extreme off-road tires, massive front bumper, light bar, and roof rack. Don't rush to the dealership already: the Snow Patrol is a one-off project that's not for sale.
Fortunately, all the parts used to upgrade it are available from aftermarket suppliers, which means Armada owners can turn their SUVs into Snow Patrols as well.
For example, the complete suspension lift kit comes from Pro Comp and gives additional clearance for the new 35-inch-tall Pro Comp MT2 extreme off-road tires. The new rubber is fitted to 20×9-inch Cognito Series 61 wheels with a Satin Black milled finish.
At the front, the Armada Snow Patrol gains a Smittybilt off-road bumper with grille protector bar and winch mount with a 12,000-pound capacity winch. The roof-mounted double-row LED light bar with flood and spot functions comes from DR36, which also supplies the pair of grille-mounted 5-inch LED round motorsport lights.
Other aftermarket goodies fitted to the Snow Patrol include the M-1A running boards/rock sliders, a one-piece Defender roof rack, and custom body wrap by Icon Image Graphics with the Armada Snow Patrol logo. Inside, the big body-on-frame SUV gains leather seats with pearl color surfaces, blue accents, and contrasting cobalt stitching, as well as Armada Snow Patrol logos.
There was no need to upgrade the powertrain, as the stock 2018 Armada features a 390-hp 5.6-liter V8 gasoline engine mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission that sends torque to all four wheels via the AWD system.
The Armada can also tow up to 8,500 pounds, which means it can easily carry around the Nissan 370Zki — another show car you'll be able to admire at the Chicago Auto Show.