The Nissan Juke Nismo, which first previewed as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011, will make its debut at the 24-Hour of Le Mans this weekend.
While the Juke Nismo may take some of its design cues from the ballistic Juke-R, it will not share that car’s Nissan GT-R-sourced 358 kW twin-turbocharged V6 or its equally monsterous price tag. Instead, the Nissan Juke Nismo will be considerably tamer and much more accessible, priced closer to the standard crossover range when it goes on sale in Europe in January 2013 and the US and Japan later next year.
The Juke Nismo features an aerodynamic body kit consisting of front and rear bumpers, wider wings, side skirts, a modified grille and tailgate spoiler along with new 18-inch alloy wheels. Other enhancements include a stiffer suspension, sportier steering and a revised traction control system with torque vectoring for improved handling. Inside, the hot crossover sports uniquely styled pedals, gauges, steering wheel, gear knob and door trims, and scores suede-trimmed, red-stitched Nismo sports seats.
Nismo promises a power and performance upgrade for the Juke’s 1.6 litre direct-injected and turbocharged petrol engine, but it’s not revealing any figures until this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans event.
