Nissan Juke Nismo Concept hints at the future

A bold new future for Nismo - the performance arm of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. - is promised by the Nissan Juke Nismo, revealed to the world at Tokyo Motor Show. Officially still a concept to test the public's reaction, Juke Nismo gives an idea of how a premium sports
version of the hugely successful compact crossover could look.

With its distinctive styling, Nissan Juke has reshaped the highly competitive B-segment, but the Juke Nismo Concept is even more dramatic. It is lower, wider and has a tougher stance... even stationary, it's still clearly a performance car.

Aimed at a car-loving audience looking for a vehicle 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 colours 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 tyres 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 parts catalogue, while the 1.6-litre direct injection turbo gasoline engine has been uprated to deliver more power and performance.

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.

The Nissan Juke Nismo Concept is a taster for a raft of highly-focused Nismo versions of Nissan products promised for 2012 and beyond. An ambitious expansion programme will see the Nismo name become synonymous with performance and premium sports variants of mainstream Nissan models, which will be available alongside existing Nismo versions of the iconic GT-R and 370Z sports cars.

"Nismo adds even more excitement and innovation to Nissan products, as owners of Nismo versions of the Z and GT-R will testify. We now plan to inject that style and excitement into other models in the Nissan range," says Shoichi Miyatani, President of Nismo.

"As well as performance and excitement, Nismo's product line up will encapsulate core values of trust, safety and distinctiveness. 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 Miyatani-san.

"Our forthcoming range of cars will be just as practical, dependable and innovative as every Nissan product but, with added Nismo energy, they will be even more fun to own and drive," he added.

Posted in: Concept,New Launch,Nissan