(continued from above)
With its distinctive styling Nissan Juke has redefined the highly competitive
B-segment, but the Juke NISMO Concept is even more dramatic. It's lower, wider
and has a tougher stance. Even standing still, it's clearly a performance car.
Aimed at a car-loving audience looking for a car that reflects an edgy
personality, Juke NISMO Concept magnifies the standard car's unique mix of
compact car agility, coupé-like responses and SUV strength.
"The global sales success of Nissan Juke has proved beyond doubt that customers
are looking for something different," said Andy Palmer, Executive Vice
President, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. "The Juke NISMO Concept takes that idea to the
next level. It's energetic, distinctive and highly desirable."
Finished in signature NISMO colors of pearl white with red highlights, the Juke
NISMO Concept wears a body kit created by NISMO's aerodynamic specialists whose
skill has been honed perfecting racecar bodywork.
And as on a racecar, the Juke NISMO Concept body kit is designed not just to
look good, but also to be dynamically highly efficient. New parts include
revised lower bumpers front and rear, wider fenders and sill side skirts.
The grille pattern has been changed while the tailgate spoiler has been modified
by the addition of side elements to control airflow more efficiently. Even the
shape of the door mirrors has been altered to enhance the car's aerodynamic
performance and reduce front and rear lift without increasing drag.
This reduction in lift means the contact patch of the tires has been increased
to improve grip, which is further enhanced by the arrival of stylish new 19-inch
alloy wheels.
Naturally the NISMO treatment extends to the chassis which has been lowered and
stiffened using proprietary parts of the sort that will be available from the
expanded NISMO's parts catalogue, while the 1.6-liter direct injection turbo
gasoline engine has been uprated to deliver more power and performance.
And NISMO touches can also be found in the interior of the Concept, where parts
that interact with the driver's sense of sight, sound, look and feel - such as
the steering wheel, pedals, gauges, shifter knob and door trims - have been
redesigned to provide greater involvement when driving. Further underlining the
performance aspects of the car, special leather-trimmed bucket seats have been
added while the importance of the tachometer means the dial and needle are
illuminated in red.
A feeling of enhanced sporting quality in the cockpit can be attributed to a
matt effect applied to previously reflective surfaces, while the dramatic centre
console - shaped to resemble a motorcycle fuel tank - has been given a metallic
coating to enhance the purposeful feeling of the Concept.
"As the Concept shows, NISMO brings new levels of individuality to mainstream
Nissan cars like Juke. The future for NISMO is to develop premium sports designs
for an ever-widening range of customers," said NISMO President, Shoichi Miyatani.
"Our forthcoming range of cars will be just as accessible and innovative as
every Nissan product, but with added NISMO energy they will be even more fun to
own and drive," he added.
