Looking to capitalize on the interest generated by the 545 horsepower, $590,000Juke R unveiled earlier this year, Nissan has announced plans to build a more affordable performance variant of the Juke crossover called the Juke Nismo.
While the Juke Nismo, which was first revealed as a concept at the 2011 Tokyo show, won’t be officially unveiled in production form until the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend, Nissan has released several images of the sporty crossover. Exterior changes from the standard Juke include an aggressive aero kit with wider side skirts, new front and rear bumpers, a tailgate spoiler and a revised grille.
Inside, the steering wheel, pedals, gauges and gear knob are all redesigned for a sportier feel, and suede-trimmed Nismo sports seats with red stitching are included to keep occupants in place during spirited drives.
Mechanical upgrades include a stiffened suspension, a revised steering system and a specially tuned traction control system with torque vectoring. Instead of following in the footsteps of the Juke R and using the GT-R’s pricey twin-turbo V6, the Juke Nismo will get what Nissan describes as a “tuned-up” version of the standard crossover’s turbocharged and direct-injected 1.6-liter four-cylinder.
Check back with Leftlane this weekend for power figures and more details on the Nismo Juke, which be offered first in Europe in early 2013 before launching in Japan and the United States.
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