Nissan: Juke Unveiled at Geneva

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Facelifted QX80 also planned

Infiniti announced during a press conference plans to introduce a Nissan Juke-based crossover and the facelifted QX80 at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show.

It seems Infiniti will be getting its own Juke in a couple of weeks as during a press conference held in Beijing the company showed a darkened teaser image which has just about the same peculiar silhouette as the recently facelifted Juke.

The model is destined to arrive (at least) in China later this year together with two versions of the Q50 (the second one is probably a long wheelbase), QX60, QX70 and what appears to be a facelifted QX80. The latter is said to receive a redesigned front fascia together with restyled taillights and a revamped dashboard inside the cabin.

Rather than importing them, most of the cars enumerated will be manufactured by Nissan at their Xiangyang factory in China as a method to avoid the local government's steep import taxes.

Infiniti's Juke and facelifted QX80 will be officially revealed on April 20.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/11404097...ver-facelifted

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Official teasers of Infiniti's rebadged Nissan Juke surfaced on the internet today affording us our first look at the premium-ized small crossover model that bears the name ESQ.

It's not yet clear if this is the final production model that will go on sale initially in China towards the end of the year or if it's a thinly disguised concept, as we only have these cropped teasers of the car to go by.

The cosmetic changes over the Juke seem to be limited to the front grille, the trim parts both inside and out, and the 18-inch wheels, with Chinese media stating that the car will be offered exclusively with the Juke's 1.6-liter turbocharged four tuned to deliver 197hp or 200PS matched to a standard CVT and all-wheel drive.

We'll keep you posted if new details emerge.

http://www.carscoops.com/2014/06/new...ry-nissan.html

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Nissan markets the Juke as a fun-to-drive crossover and while that is certainly the case, it’s still far from a performance product and the company is hoping to change that.

As you probably know, Nissan already sells a NISMO-tuned version of the Juke that comes with both cosmetic and performance enhancements. A mild power bump to the 1.6-liter turbocharged four cylinder and marginally stiffer suspension help but it’s sort of like trying to sell someone a BB gun and calling it a 30-06. Lacking a limited-slip differential and still disappointingly light on power, the Juke NISMO delivered on its promises, but it feels like a half-hearted effort at best.

Now, Nissan is offering a few more changes meant to make the Juke a more legitimate performer. It gets yet another mild power bump to make 215 hp in front-wheel drive manual models or 211 with the CVT. A revised exhaust and ECU changes are also meant to help wake the engine up, although it’s still far from its potential when you consider the Delta Wing started with the same unit.

The manual really still is the model to get – perhaps now more than ever – because it comes with a limited-slip differential. The suspension and steering have both been tuned slightly for better performance although even Niki Lauda would probably have a hard time distinguishing the difference. It’s also supposed to be more rigid. There are larger brake rotors in the front and the rear rotors are now vented.

Normal NISMO models come with heavily bolstered sport seats, but in this case Nissan is offering Recaro racing buckets trimmed in read leather and black suede. There’s also an available Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, and the gauge cluster features “RS” lettering. Aside from picking between the front-wheel drive model with a manual or all-wheel drive version only offered with a CVT, a navigation package is the sole option box to check.

With a series of enhancements that address complaints leveled at much of what holds the Juke NISMO back, there’s a chance Nissan’s jacked-up hatchback might actually have some performance credibility. There isn’t long to wait, either. The company expects models to begin arriving in dealerships early next year.

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...es-faults.html

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The Other Brother

Click here to view photo gallery

The handler strapped into the carbon fiber race bucket next to me is the only other person outside of yours truly who looks like he thinks this is a bad idea. I've just finished situating myself in the cabin of the very first Nissan Juke-R ever constructed. There are literally thousands of man hours in this single prototype and only four examples of the car total in the entire world. Each one carries a price tag of around $656,400 at current conversion rates, making this both the rarest and most expensive piece of machinery anyone has ever let me get close enough to sniff, let alone drive.

And that's exactly what I mean to do.

I'm not puttering around some parking lot, either. Nissan has seen fit to let me hammer this thing around a road course set up on the infield of the now defunct Nashville Superspeedway for as long as my passenger will let me, and I'm keen to oblige. I send out the familiar and threadbare "Please don't let me crash this car" one last time, and with the engine already running, I click the shifter into gear and let the Juke-R grumble its way to the pit exit.





This is something far more than some front-wheel-drive slam van.
Getting into this car is a lot like finding yourself in one of those dreams where you walk through the door to your garage only to find an expansive, well-organized work space instead of the cluttered, dimly lit hovel you now know. Yes, your tools are all there, but so is that '69 Mustang fastback project you've always wanted, and somehow, that feels normal. From the outside, the Juke-R looks like little more than a widebody SEMA creation. Yes, there are custom carbon-fiber valances front and rear, and yes, those fenders are flared to oblivion, but it's only when you lock eyes on the massive brakes lifted from a 2012 Nissan GT-R that you realize this is something far more than some front-wheel-drive slam van.

The cabin is a mix of Juke and GT-R hardware, and there isn't a single bit of kit that seems out of place. Yep, that's the steering wheel and paddle shifters from the company's supercar situated alongside the gauges, LCD screen and shift lever from the same, but the Juke's motorcycle gas tank center console and dash all stay in place. And like that dreamland garage, it all seems normal. There's a cage for added rigidity, complete with five-point harnesses and those sexy race buckets, but otherwise, you're sitting in a Juke.



The machine reveals itself to be Godzilla spawn in the truest sense.
The brave young man in the passenger seat next to me shoveled hours of his life into stitching this car together alongside his coworkers at a shop in Wellingborough, a small village just north of London, so when he recommends we take a few laps to get cozy with how the Juke-R drives, I'm happy to do so. At first punch of the accelerator out of the pits, the machine reveals itself to be Godzilla spawn in the truest sense. Thrust comes on in that same boundless swell that makes the GT-R such a mind-boggling creation, and the fact that I'm looking out over a set of alligator turning indicators instead of a long supercar hood forces a slight mental disconnect.

The first long left-hand sweeper has me braking early, terrified that 545 horsepower wed to a 99.6-inch wheelbase will see me pirouette right up that banked turn and straight into the tire wall backwards. As much as I'd hate to see all this carbon fiber go skittering across the Middle Tennessee landscape, I'd hate even more to see my teeth do the same after the build team got finished using my head for a rugby ball.

"You can carry a bit more speed through there," my handler says. "Just make sure all your accelerating and braking happens in a straight line."

Right.



I begin to forget just how expensive and rare this thing is and start actually driving.
Telling a ham-fisted yokel like myself to "carry a bit more speed" is not unlike looking Charlie Sheen square in the eye and saying, "You can do a bit more cocaine." This can only end badly for everyone involved.

After another lap, I begin to forget just how expensive and rare this thing is and start actually driving. Before long, I'm having more fun than should be legal. Keeping your eyes to the next apex is a little challenging thanks to the bulky cage-bolstered A-pillars, but plant your right foot and the car will do the old point-and-shoot just like its big brother. What's different is that unlike the big GT-R, the Juke-R feels more neutral and communicative while retaining those awesome, globe-halting brakes. Misstep, forget that whole "only in a straight line" rule, and the car rotates around the bottom of your seat. It isn't snap happy or uncertain at all, but it will do a bit of pitching if you get out of hand.



The Juke-R, meanwhile, is the rolling embodiment of nonsense.

That's partly thanks to the fact that it still has the same track as a GT-R, though having the engine situated well behind the front suspension points certainly doesn't hurt either. The team behind the Juke-R moved the firewall back nearly six inches to accommodate the forced-induction V6 under the hood, and while both the GT-R and the Juke-R share a curb weight, the latter simply feels more playful. It also doesn't feel like it will pull your rear from the fire should you get overzealous or pop that dual clutch gearbox at the wrong time. And for that, I love it.

If the GT-R has any fault, it's that the machine is almost too perfect. It's too easy. It is the good brother. The Juke-R, meanwhile, is the rolling embodiment of nonsense. It's too expensive, too hand-built and just too damn weird, but its also unabashedly awesome. It's all whiskey and rock and roll to the GT-R's red wine and NPR. Nissan will only build up to 23 examples of the Juke-R, and so far, just two have been sold to a private customer outside of the company's two prototypes. For what it's worth, the same guy bought both: one for himself and one for a friend. If anyone else is looking for a driving buddy, you know how to get ahold of me.

Engine:3.8L Twin-Turbo V6
Power:530 HP0-60
Time:3.0 Seconds
Top Speed:170 MPH
Drivetrain:All-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight:3,980 LBS (est.)
Base Price:$665,000

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/03/n...uke-r-w-video/

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Does a tuned-up Juke deserve the NISMO badge?



Your opinion of the Nissan Juke NISMO will vary greatly depending on what you expect it to do. First things first: this is not, we repeat not, a super-tuned version of Nissan’s compact crossover. If that’s what you’re expecting, it will be a disappointment.

FAST FACTS
1. A retuned turbocharged 1.6L 4-cylinder engine now makes 197 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque.
2. Transmission options include a six-speed manual or CVT, with AWD only available with the later.
3. Other upgrades include a sport-tuned suspension, 18-inch wheels, a body kit, sports seats and a selection of interior trim upgrades.
4. Gas mileage is unchanged at 25 mpg in the city, 30 on the highway and 27 combined.
5. The Juke NISMO is only available in white, black or silver.
But wait, don’t click away yet because the NISMO-tuned version is arguably the best Juke you can buy.

A Body That’s Impossible to Miss

As if its off-beat looks don’t get enough attention, the company is offering an even wilder package courtesy of its NISMO tuning arm. Funky design cues like the car’s split headlights and hourglass shape stand out as usual, but with more pronounced features.

Changes include red mirror caps, special 18-inch wheels, red pin stripes and an extensive aero kit that improves downforce by 37 percent — or so Nissan claims. You’ll never notice the difference.

The alleged extra earthward push comes from a front spoiler, rear diffuser, side skirts and a big back wing. Some people might be put off by the kit, but they hardly match the Juke’s target audience.

Most buyers will probably find that the new bits compliment the car’s looks, even if the downforce enhancements boil down to meaningless marketing material.



People who’ve spent time around other Jukes might also notice that this one is a little vertically challenged. Credit NISMO again.

A stiffer and lower suspension brings this car slightly closer to ground level. The change is minimal enough that Nissan doesn’t even specify a number and the ground-hugging look is certainly more as a result of the aforementioned aero package.

Cabin Makeover a Real Home Run

Going crazy with an interior makeover can be risky. Nissan dove head first into the loony bin with the interior and the result is splendid.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2e__IH30qE"]2013 Nissan Juke Nismo Review - YouTube[/ame]

The front bucket seats are ridiculously well bolstered, yet soft and comfortable. They get faux suede inserts for added style and grip, as does the steering wheel.
The side bolsters are hugely exaggerated, though made of rather soft material, meaning it’s hard not to wonder how they will look after a few years of use.

Most of the cabin is draped in black, but red stitching and embroidered NISMO lettering keep the car far from feeling monotone. At the first glance, it looks like Nissan went overboard with materials generally reserved for more expensive vehicles — not so. After a few minutes of poking and prodding from the driver’s seat, you’ll pick up on exactly where the corners were cut.



The headliner feels of cheap felt, but without the softness usually associated with that sort of pressed, matte cloth. Similarly, the rear seats have the same matte look as the front buckets, but they’re made of a different cloth material that doesn’t feel as nice. Interior panels and the dashboard are also mostly made of hard plastic.

Don’t let that dissuade you. This is a Juke, remember? Besides, the NISMO version’s starting price is actually a little lower than the top-end “SL” trim and in many ways it ends up being the truest expression of Nissan’s goal with this car: to built an entertaining and affordable compact crossover.

Driving Dynamics

Admittedly, it would have been nice to see Nissan tune the car’s 1.6-liter turbocharged engine to a more than the minimal nine-pony increase. Output gets a slight uptick to 197 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque.

Nissan says it plans to expand the stable of NISMO-tuned products it offers, but it would behoove the brand not to fulfill that promise flippantly.

That raises an important question about which side of the fence this car falls to. Just like downforce upgrades, the minor output increase only improves the car on paper.

But the Juke isn’t bad to begin with, and as a whole the NISMO parts do make a noticeable difference. That’s particularly true in regards to the suspension.

Stiffer suspensions settings and revisions to the electric power steering give the car a heavier steering feel and tighter cornering ability. Claims by Nissan about reduced body roll are difficult to measure, but the car felt composed while cornering at high speeds on the AutoGuide test track.



Transmission choices are split between a six-speed manual and a “sport” CVT, although the stick is only paired with front-wheel drive models. The all-wheel drive system on all Juke models offers torque vectoring to distribute power to the outside rear wheel. The system helps mitigate understeer, which could actually make the CVT-equipped car a better performer than the manual.

Put to the test it’s actually possible to feel the rear end working to rotate the car, an impressive bit of engineering for what is ultimately a rather budget-oriented machine.

In sport mode, the CVT remains high in its rev range and well within boost, so you’ll actually get the most out of the small engine. Initial throttle response is weak, but there’s plenty of power to play with once in motion. Most drivers will be pleasantly surprised as long as they don’t expect hard off-the-line acceleration.

The high revs do, however, make for a harsh drive that you may grow tired of in daily driving. The Normal and Eco modes are much more hospitable, and in the greener of the two you’ll find the car promotes fuel efficient driving by slowing accelerating to a near crawl.

Stepping on the gas does almost nothing. That’s a good thing and a perfect reason to mention that fuel economy remains the same as other Juke models at 25 mpg in the city, 30 on the highway or 27 mpg combined.



A real knock against this car’s NISMO credentials came just a few laps into the track portion of our test. Under prolonged hard acceleration, the car went into a limp mode where the engine wouldn’t reach as high in the rev range until the car cooled down.

As disappointing as this is, it’s also not unexpected as the same thing happened during our test of the 370Z NISMO.



The Verdict

It’s hard not to look at the Juke NISMO with a critical eye because the motorsports badge and name is a little bit misleading if you expect true performance credentials. Check those expectations at the door and the story changes.

Pricing starts at $23,780 for the front-wheel drive, manual model. That skips the navigation package, which costs $1,170. As tested, AutoGuide’s all-wheel drive model cost $27,250.

Nissan built the Juke to be fun, and the enhancements you get with the NISMO package emphasize that. While some buyers might be scared off by its more attention-grabbing style, the Juke NISMO makes an already entertaining crossover even better. What’s even nicer is the fact that it isn’t even the most expensive version of the odd-looking crossover available.

LOVE IT
Body kit moves the Juke from looking weird to wild
Stiffer suspension improves cornering
Sport seats a big plus

LEAVE IT
Power increase could be bigger
Not a true performance vehicle
AWD exclusive to CVT is a letdown

http://www.autoguide.com/manufacture...ideo-2769.html

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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfWZYwedXbw"]2013 Nissan Juke R - Nissan 360 - YouTube[/ame]

nsanity, it’s not just putting your alarm clock in the freezer or wearing mayonnaise instead of cargo shorts, it covers all kinds of things, even cars. There are plenty of ridiculous vehicles in the market today but one of the most ludicrous is the Nissan Juke-R.

What’s even crazier than the already nut-so GT-R? How about a compact crossover featuring the supercar’s drivetrain? This itsy-bitsy Juke is blown along the road like a leaf in a hurricane-force wind. It’s powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that cranks out 545 horsepower with 466 lb-ft of torque.

The goods are routed to all four wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that shifts faster than you can think. Those numbers are good for a top speed of 170 miles an hour; the sprint from a standstill to 60 MPH takes just 3.0 seconds. THREE SECONDS!

Nissan representatives told us that unlike its big brother the Juke-R is a bit livelier to drive. Thanks to a shorter wheelbase and a higher center of gravity it actually corners better and is more fun on high-speed turns… so we’ve been told.

The Juke-R is crazier than a personal tour of Jeffrey Dahmer’s crawl space. What’s so unbelievable about it is that it’s far from just a concept. They’re actually building up to 23 of them. If you want one you can actually get one, just fork over $665,000. Insanity!

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...irst-look.html

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[Lord-Hydro]

I have been looking at something as a 3rd car, 2 fun ones and a more practical one. wondering if any of you have an first (or second hand) experience with the juke. recently for some odd reason I have become slightly obsessed with them. I know not everyone enjoys they're looks but I love it, performance looks pretty nice for a crossover, now my issue is in any reviews I find. most are good, but there is a few that seem a bit concerning. eng issues, blown turbos, and then worst of all, lack of after market. I understand people who want to complain will and a lot of happy people usually won't go out of their way to say much. So, any help would be awesome.

[Vracer111]

I test drove the Juke NISMO RS, liked it better than the Club Spec ND miata (granted I'm not a huge fan of the miata)... the ND miata is a floppy sailboat that needs a better suspension and seats. The Juke NISMO RS felt oddly similar to an FR-S... REALLY flat and tight in body control.

Not a big fan of Forced induction on my vehicles though....but really did like that Juke, especially with the Recaro Sporster CS seats in the NISMO RS. NISMO RS would be the only Juke I'd consider...just needs a normally aspirated motor.

[yelsew]

Drove a juke for a couple months, was neat crossover hatch, felt bigger because you sit up high but it isnt a big car. 1.6 turbo was peppy around town, from 0-45 or so felt fun but beyond that wasn't anything special. Was reliable and comfortable as a commuter car for my uncle for 3 years so far. The awd only comes with a cvt and the manual only comes in fwd, so thats mostly why I didn't get my own. The one i thought of getting was the nismo rs which has amazing seats, but they are a little too stiff to daily drive.
To sum it up, neat, practical daily driver, more fun than a full size suv, but other than the quirky looks, not much more interesting than that.

[VIP BRZ]

If i could afford a second car id have a juke

[go_a_way1]

More like puke

(I don't like the look)

Also cargo space will leave something to be desired for a small SUV it has hardly any

[Lord-Hydro]

Originally Posted by Vracer111

. the ND miata is a floppy sailboat that needs a better suspension and seats. The Juke NISMO RS felt oddly similar to an FR-S... REALLY flat and tight in body control.

honestly one of the last things I expected to hear, I have no time behind the wheel of the ND, I own a NA still on stock suspension and that thing has body roll for days. I would love to try as NISMO RS around some corners now.

[Lord-Hydro]

Originally Posted by go_a_way1

More like puke

(I don't like the look)

Also cargo space will leave something to be desired for a small SUV it has hardly any

Hey, I 100% admit the looks aren't for everyone... In fact pretty sure I am in the minority of thinking the look awesome . now the giant round lights in front throw it off but overall isn't bad.