Nissan’s 2017 Juke Black Pearl Edition shows off customization possibilities

By Stephen Edelstein Published January 25, 2018

The Nissan Juke crossover offers one option you probably won’t find on most other cars. The Juke Color Studio allows buyers to mix and match exterior and interior trim to create funky color combinations. To demonstrate the possibilities of this perk, Nissan will debut a special edition Juke next week at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The 2017 Nissan Juke Black Pearl Edition has nothing to do with Pirates of the Caribbean. Rather, it’s named after a special edition of the 280Z sports car from 1978. It features a black exterior with white accents, a pattern that continues on the interior with a white center console and other white trim pieces on mostly black surfaces. It’s the automotive equivalent of one of those tuxedo T-shirts.

Recommended Videos

Like most Juke models, the Black Pearl is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 188 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) is mandatory on the Black Pearl Edition, although buyers do get to choose between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. Nissan also offers sporty Juke NISMO models, but these don’t get the Black Pearl treatment.

The Black Pearl Edition is based on the Juke SV trim level, which is one step up from the base model. It’s a $1,190 option on top of the $22,550 starting price for a 2017 Juke SV with front-wheel drive (all-wheel drive models start at $24,400). Black Pearl production is limited to 1,250 units, including 1,000 for the U.S., and 250 for Canada. That doesn’t necessarily make the Black Pearl a valuable collectible but, if you buy one, you’ll certainly stand out.

Nissan has a handful of debuts planned for the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. In addition to the Juke Black Pearl Edition, it will show a special edition of the updated 2017 Rogue that ties in with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (because the The Force is strong with this pun). Alongside the two special editions, Nissan will unveil the updated 2017 Versa Note hatchback, and a fourth mystery model.

Digital Trends will be on the ground in L.A. next week, so stay tuned for more auto show coverage.

Stephen Edelstein

Former Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Topics

Cars

Volvo’s purported EX50 could be the budget-friendly plot twist nobody saw coming

Volvo's next electric SUV could shake up the EX lineup with more room and a smaller price tag.

Volvo’s electric lineup needed a genuinely affordable entry point, and a new report suggests that buyers might actually get one.

According to a new Automotive News report, Volvo is quietly working on a compact electric crossover, called the EX50. It will be aimed at replacing the dated EX40 in the US sometime in 2027.

Cars

Xiaomi just launched an SUV with seven seats and a bedroom upstairs

Xiaomi’s SkyNomad SUV could replace your car, office, lounge, and tent

Skynomad

Xiaomi’s new family SUV is basically a house on wheels with enough claimed range to cover more than 1,000 miles. It also costs considerably less than its outlandish feature list might suggest. The company has officially launched the SkyNomad N90 Max in China for 299,900 yuan, equivalent to roughly $44,400 through direct conversion.

Preorders are open now, with the first vehicles expected to reach customers in September. The converted figure provides useful context, though it does not represent pricing outside China. Xiaomi describes the seven-seat flagship as a “house you can move.” This unusually grand pitch starts making sense once you see what happens inside.

Cars

Mazda chief says the MX-5 Miata could go electric

2019 Mazda Mazda3 AWD review

For years, the idea of an electric Mazda MX-5 Miata felt almost impossible. The little roadster has always been celebrated for one thing above everything else: keeping things light. Add a heavy battery pack into the equation, and many enthusiasts assumed the Miata's trademark driving character would disappear along with it.

Mazda, however, appears to have changed its mind. In an interview with German publication auto motor und sport, Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro confirmed that the next-generation MX-5 is being developed with the possibility of an all-electric version in mind. It doesn't mean the iconic roadster is abandoning gasoline anytime soon. Still, it does suggest Mazda wants the Miata to survive in a future where internal combustion engines may no longer be an option.