Nissan is a fairly sensible carmaker, but sometimes it does things that can only be described as crazy, like the time it stuffed the 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 from GT-R into the Juke mini-crossover.
The Juke-R was an Internet sensation, but now Nissan is upping its game. The carmaker says it will unveiled something called the Juke-R NISMO at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K. on June 25.
Since it bears the NISMO (short for “Nissan Motorsports”) name, it’s safe to predict that the Juke-R NISMO will be even more mind-blowing than its insane predecessor, although Nissan is keeping the details under wraps for now.
The original Juke-R production model was powered by a 545-horsepower version of the GT-R engine. Nissan claimed that could get the Juke-R from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.7 seconds. However, since the limited run of Juke-R production models was built in 2012, Nissan has come out with a more powerful version.
The current GT-R NISMO boasts 600 hp and 481 pound-feet of torque, so imagine what kind of beast would result from stuffing that upgraded hardware into a Juke. Expect the transformation to go beyond an engine, including the GT-R’s all-wheel drive system, upgraded suspension, and some new bodywork.
Nissan’s teaser image doesn’t reveal much, but it does show the same GT-R-inspired hood vents first seen on the original Juke-R, and a more aggressive front bumper with larger air intakes and NISMO-signature red trim.
At first, just two Juke-Rs were built as a lark, but when customers started throwing money at Nissan for copies of their own, the company built a handful to order. It’s unclear what production plans Nissan has for the NISMO model, but expect it to be extremely rare, and expensive.
Few people will get to drive the Juke-R NISMO but, if it’s anything like its predecessor, the hilarity of a high-performance car with the body of a Juke should be something that everyone can enjoy.
