An extremely beautiful and extremely brute fourth generation Nissan Patrol, born in a time when cars were still men! I met this fine green example in a faraway suburb in east Beijing, where it was parked on a barred field.

The great vehicle was in perfect condition. Paint as good as new, chrome is still shiny, and all the typical 1990-Japan stickers are still intact, including the brilliant FUEL INJECTION emblem on the front doors. The suspension was slightly heightened for more ground clearance.

Coincidentally, reader Chiprdan met a wine red fourth generation Petrol in Shanghai at almost the same time.

Flashy six-spoke alloys were standard on the top-spec variants. Check rear window, from top: black plastic, green paint, gold sticker, gray sticker, and green paint again. What a diversity!

The fourth generation ‘Y60′ Nissan Patrol was made from 1987 until 1997. It was never officially exported to China but some cars arrived via gray channels, usually bought by state-owned oil companies for exploration. These days most have ended up on the private market.

FUEL INJECTION refers to the big ‘n bad 4.2 liter Nissan TB straight-six petrol engine, which featured electronic fuel injection and electric ignition. Output was 173hp and 320nm.

The area is called ‘Dongba’, to the east of the 5th Ring Road. The area used to be rather agricultural with a few small factories shattered around the farming villages. No more. The villages are crushed and destroyed as I write these very words, to be replaced by new high-rises for Beijing’s emerging middle class. An area in transition, still a bit wild and untamed. An area, for the Y60 Petrol!