Lamborghini-baiting Nissan Juke R breaks cover

NISSAN has upped the ante on its Juke R compact SUV for this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, upgrading its three-year-old Paris motor show crowd-pleaser with the engine and drivetrain from a Nissan GT-R Nismo to create the Juke R 2.0.

The GT-R Nismo – considered to be the quickest production car ever to come from Japan – donated its 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6, eight-speed transaxle-based transmission and its all-wheel drivetrain to the matte black Juke, replacing the ‘regular’ GT-R engine package of its first iteration.

Power increases from 404kW to 441kW, while torque jumps from 628 to 652Nm. The transplant means that the tiny Juke is good for a 0-100km/h sprint of less than three seconds, eclipsing some of the fastest supercars from Ferrari or Lamborghini.

Nissan Europe marketing communications general manager Gareth Dunsmore said the Juke R was a great way for the brand to highlight its performance-car credentials and its growing range of crossovers.

“The Juke-R has become an iconic crossover supercar, and with the launch of the latest Juke model last year, it was the natural choice to upgrade the original Juke-R with added power and even bolder styling,” he said.

“The Juke-R 2.0 is a perfect ‘crossover' of the best bits of Nissan - real innovation showcasing our crossover prowess fused with the excitement of the GT-R supercar engine.”

The Juke R 2.0 has also been fitted with new-style 20-inch rims all around, while its ride height has been lowered substantially. Carbon-fibre front and rear spoilers add much-needed stability and downforce, while the side sills, dash and other interior trim pieces are rendered in carbon-fibre.

The front bumper’s apertures have been increased by 100 per cent in area in order to provide cooling for the twin-turbo engine. The headlights, tail-lights, front fenders and bonnet, meanwhile, are sourced from an MY15 Juke.

An FIA-compliant roll-cage is fitted across the rear seats, while a pair of race car-spec buckets sit up front.

The first build in 2012 – two cars were built in five weeks – saw the Juke lose its original floor to accommodate the parts from a 2011-spec GT-R, while its firewall was moved rearwards by 100mm to accommodate the bigger engine. Aside from a shortened main driveshaft, the GT-R suspension and drivetrain components were unmodified during the transfer.

Twenty-one examples of the Juke R were built by British motorsport outfit RML, with the bulk of the cars sold to the Middle East. Each was priced at €500,000 (A$725,000). There is no word on whether the Juke R 2.0 will be offered for sale.