If the standard Navara Pro-4X isn’t tough enough and you’re not afraid to buy into a recreational ute.

MIGHT the latest bad boy of the one-tonne turbodiesel ute category potentially might stand better chance of escaping current public opprobrium than its rivals?

In respect to the ‘Pro-4X Warrior by Premcar’ – that’s the full name, let’s just call it the Navara Warrior - the odds are potentially for … and against.

Being clearly intended to be of strongest appeal to the buyer type that’s being particularly bad-mouthed at the moment – those 30 percent of cognoscenti who, according to motor industry feedback, buy in for play rather than work – might not play too positively just at the moment for the just-unveiled enhanced version of the flagship factory-supplied Nissan Navara, the Pro-4X.

On the other hand, it does nonetheless have one valid Green card to play.

That’s the powertrain, of course: Navara’s Renault-supplied 2.3-litre common-rail four-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel, producing 140kW and 450Nm from as low as 1500rpm, stands out from competitor mills in being up to EU6 emissions standard.

The cited output of 189 grams per kilometre puts it just within the band in which it will be exempt of the penalties that smuttier engines will be hit with.

That Green tick aside, it’s pretty obvious that the formula for this follow-up to the N-Trek Warrior is all about upping the tough-as vibe.

Nissan New Zealand has yet to relate whether it will take this variant as a foil to the Ford Ranger Raptor and Toyota Hilux Mako.

However it’s worth noting that the pricing structure seems set to make room, given the Pro-4X is, at $70,400 in most expensive automatic form, $6200 cheaper than the N-Trek was.

How different are they? While the Warrior is a modified Pro-4X, it brings numerous additional design elements and quite a few bespoke parts developed by Premcar, a specialist vehicle engineering outfit based in Melbourne, Victoria, whose intent is to add additional Aussie flavour to the model.

Premcar will produce Warriors on a specially made production line and cites tweaking of many components to further improve capability.

The Warrior has similar upgrades that were seen on the N-Trek, such as a hoopless front bullbar, greater ground clearance, an integrated light bar, more underbody protection, differently tuned suspension (now with red springs), and bigger all terrain tyres.

Importantly, all changes will work with the Navara’s existing safety technology.

Premcar engineering director Bernie Quinn says the Warrior will take the Navara to new heights.

That’s almost literal. Ride height increases 40mm to provide 260mm ground clearance (and the same 600mm wading depth as other Navara 4x4s) via a 25mm suspension lift (new front and rear springs and dampers, new front bump stops) and larger 32.2-inch Cooper Discoverer AT3 all-terrain tyres. The total vehicle height increases to 1920mm.

The track width increases 15mm on each side for a total 30mm wider footprint.