Accessible performance: Juke Nismo from £19,995
The new Nissan Juke Nismo will offer high performance, striking looks and generous equipment – but without the price tag. That’s because the new 200PS sports crossover will cost from just £19,995.
Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September, the Juke Nismo will go on sale in the UK in January 2013 with first deliveries set for March. It has been developed by Nissan’s Nismo performance division in Japan and will be the first Nismo-badged road car for the European market.
Power comes from an uprated version of Nissan’s 1.6-litre direct injection turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 200PS at 6,000rpm and 250Nm of torque between 2,400rpm and 4,800rpm. In front-wheel drive, six-speed manual form, the Juke Nismo is capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in just 7.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 134mph.
The Juke Nismo has been designed to offer accessible performance - and complementing the new engine is an uprated chassis that will really help owners make the most of the power available. As well as 10 percent stiffer springs, the suspension settings have been changed to enhance traction while the steering is more direct.
Nismo specialists have enhanced the Juke’s looks too with front and rear Nismo badging and a subtle bodykit featuring signature red door mirrors with a matching lower red pinstripe. But the changes are more than just cosmetic. The new aerodynamic bodykit, which features lower front and rear bumpers, wider wings and sill side skirts, and a modified grille and tailgate spoiler, helps to reduce front and rear lift without increasing drag. So much so that the Juke Nismo claims the same combined fuel economy figure of 40.9mpg and 159g/km CO2 emissions as the Juke DIG-T on which it is based, despite its extra power.
Underlining the performance personality of the car, special suede-trimmed Nismo sports seats with red stitching and deep side bolsters have been added, along with Alcantara and leather trim for the steering wheel and suede trim for the door liners. Other changes include a black centre console, black door switch surrounds and a black headliner. Red Nismo signatures are also carried through to the dashboard gauges, gearknob and gaiter.
The Juke Nismo will be available in three colours: Storm White, Pearl Black and Blade Silver. As well as a two-wheel drive six-speed manual transmission, the Juke Nismo will also be available with four-wheel drive and a CVT automatic gearbox too.
