As capable as it is, the all-new Patriot X1-N camping trailer is not capable of transporting itself to camp. It still needs a tow partner, and Patriot figures not just any old truck or 4x4 will do. So it secures the camper's Cruisemaster hitch to the all-new Land Cruiser-based Desert Ops Supertourer. As delightfully retro as the limited edition X1-N Desert Ops, the new Supertourer offers just the right blend of torque, cushion, utility and aggressive, dingo-spooking jewelry to pull the heavy-duty trailer (or whatever you're towing) anywhere it wants to go.
Patriot previously showed the Desert Ops Supertourer posing handsomely next to the X1-N but waited a few days to release all the details. So good news: If you've been wondering what you're going to do with the extra AU$200K or so you'll have clinking around your pocket after plunking down $40K on a spanking new Desert Ops X1-N, you're about to have an "aha" moment.
Along with trailers, Patriot specializes in Toyota Land Cruiser 79 and 200 Series "Supertourers" through its Patriot Campers Off Road (PCOR) brand. These all-wheelers are essentially Land Cruisers carved in half (in the case of the 200), topped with a tray back and upgraded to the type of SEMA-grade proportions that guarantee Hollywood levels of off-road and overland fun. The Supertourer family even includes a 6x6 LC79, pictured just above.
The new Desert Ops LC79 Supertourer package slaps on the 70s styling we first saw on the X1-N Desert Ops, a combination of vibrant vinyl striping over top sandy paint. For the Supertourer, the styling package also includes a retro Toyota-badged grille, 70s-style windshield visor, Toyota hood emblem, FJ Cruiser badging around the body, and chrome side-view housings so shiny you can check your hair front or back.
Functional exterior components like the PCOR bull bar, TJM front and rear 12,000-lb (5,450-kg) winches, and TJM side rails increase functionality and further intensify the look, while tinted windows and 17-in PCOR wheels wrapped in 35-in Mickey Thompson MTZ tires round the visuals out. PCOR also includes a full-size spare.
It's an alluring styling package and nod to the glory days of the no-nonsense 4x4, but it's certainly not "$71,000 over the price of the regular LC79 Supertourer" nice. Which is why PCOR has also adds a higher-spec upgrade kit for the Desert Ops, starting with a 4-in JMACX lift, rear airbags, and rear coil replacement with 300-mm extension. Other performance upgrades include a JMACX steering dampener, NPC clutch and flywheel, hydraulic brake booster, Torqit exhaust, 180L Brown Davis long-range fuel tank and PWR top-mount intercooler.
The upgraded cushion below should keep the included fuzzy black dice hanging from the rearview mirror from trembling too distractingly. Those dangling dots serve as the finishing touch for an interior that also includes fuzzy sheepskin seat covers, Sandgrabba floor mats, a Hema Navigator HX-1 on/off-road GPS and a GME UHF radio.
And of course, it wouldn't be a PCOR Supertourer without the signature aluminum tray. This one has a mix of retro graphics and the usual black powder coat. The tray also includes an integrated headboard, rear drawer, stainless fuel filler, aircraft tie-downs and LED taillights.
The Desert Ops Supertourer is priced at AU$189,000 (US$128,000), so not the full $200K mentioned above. But don't think that extra $11,000 can't be quickly devoured by an options list that includes an Alpine stereo system, reverse camera kit, second battery, extra exterior lighting, roof rack with 150-watt solar panel and plenty more. The Desert Ops will be on offer only for a limited time.
Patriot will be showing the Supertourer and X1-N Desert Ops editions at this weekend's National 4x4 Outdoors Show in Melbourne. New Atlas will be on the ground at the show, bringing back news of the latest in Australian-built 4x4, camper and overland rigs and equipment.
Source: PCOR
