Published: Jun 13, 2012

Nissan Juke Nismo Debuts at Le Mans

For those who can't afford the Juke-R's $590,000 asking price.

Whether you like its styling or not, the Juke has been a solid hit for Nissan. Because of its solid sales numbers in both Europe and North America, the Japanese automaker felt it was a worthwhile investment to let their performance division Nismo get their hands on it. The result is (obviously) the Juke Nismo, which has just made its official global debut today at Le Mans. Unlike the Juke-R, which is also on display at Le Mans, the Juke Nismo will be built in much larger numbers.

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The Juke-R, by comparison, will be a very limited production car that'll be built to order and priced at a staggering $590,000. According to Nissan, Nismo specialists have engineered a new aerodynamics kit that gives the Juke a sleeker, more dynamic and powerful design. Specially, there are now lower front and rear bumpers, wider wings and sill side skirts. There's also a modified grille and tailgate spoiler that help control airflow. All told, these enhancements reduce front and rear lift without increasing drag. There's also a set of new 18-inch alloy wheels with wider tires for improved grip.

Under the hood, Nismo also went to work on the turbocharged 1.6-liter inline four cylinder engine, as they were inspired by the one installed on the much talked about Nissan DeltaWing Le Mans racer. Other improvements are stiffened suspension settings as well as new steering modifications for better handling and traction control. Nissan also points out that the car will also feature a torque vectoring system. The interior features a redesigned steering wheel, pedals, gauges, gear knob and door trims. There are also suede-trimmed Nismo sport seats with red stitching.

Final pricing hasn't been released yet, but European sales are set to begin this January with the US and Japan to follow shortly thereafter.