(continued from above)
Nissan was a pioneer of the compact crossover segment in the automotive
market with the launch of Juke in 2010 and is set to continue its leadership
with the launch of its first radical performance crossover model - the Nissan
Juke Nismo.
Nissan's Nismo product range, developed by the brand's motorsport and
personalization division in Japan, offers distinctiveness and individuality as
well as sports orientated handling, performance and excitement to standard
Nissan cars starting with the Juke.
The Nissan Juke Nismo combines the current radical Nissan Juke design, with a
unique blend of sports coupé lines and SUV styling, influenced by Nismo's motor
sport expertise. Nismo specialists have engineered a new aerodynamics kit,
giving the Juke an even more efficient, dynamic and powerful design. The new
model features lower front and rear bumpers, wider wings and sill side skirts,
and a modified grille and tailgate spoiler that control airflow. These
aerodynamic enhancements reduce front and rear lift without increasing drag
enhancing the Juke Nismo's driving performance. Stylish new 18-inch alloy wheels
with wider tires offer improved grip, and further boost the Juke's on-road
presence.
The Juke Nismo is enhanced with a tuned-up version of its 1.6-liter direct
injection turbocharged petrol engine, inspired by the one installed in Nissan's
revolutionary DeltaWing Le Mans race car. As well as featuring stiffened
suspension settings and new steering modifications for sportier direct handling
and improved traction control, the new model will also be available with torque
vectoring, a technology offering better grip and cornering capacity.
The Nismo treatment continues inside the cabin, where the steering wheel,
pedals, gauges, gear knob and door trims have been redesigned to boost the
sporty feeling when driving. To further underline the performance personality of
the car, special suede-trimmed Nismo sports seats with red stitching have been
added for increased holding while cornering.
Andy Palmer, Executive Vice President Global Product Planning, says "The
introduction of Juke Nismo further cements our dedication to provide innovation
and excitement for everyone. The Juke, with its radical design and pioneering
attitude, is the natural choice to be one of the first Nissan models to receive
the mythical performance and distinctive design treatment from our Nismo
specialists."
The Nissan Juke performance story began late last year with the creation of the
Juke-R - which, intended initially as a one-off concept, has now been put into
limited production due to demand.
This weekend the new Juke Nismo will sit alongside the Juke-R, starting the next
thrilling chapter for the compact sports crossover, as the Nismo badge begins
its journey from race track to road.
The Juke Nismo will be built at Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK in Sunderland,
alongside other members of the Juke family and sales in Europe are due to start
early January 2013. Further details and specifications will be announced closer
to launch. Juke Nismo will be available in Japan and USA at a later date.