Nissan Juke-R reaches production

Right about now is the time to form a neat line and start selling your house and wives, because yesterday Nissan announced that the bonkers Nissan Juke-R concept will reach production.

Here's a short recap to freshen your memory a bit:

the Juke-R was a showoff concept revealed half a year ago by Nissan. The reciepe was a Nissan GT-R, arguably the most insane piece of engineering on four wheels, crammed in a body of a pseudo-SUV/ womens' lifestylebox. When revealed it created a massive jaw-drop in the automotive circles due to the epicly magnificent unsensibility of the thing, and judging by that, the lead designer had to be aged about 10. Nobody thought it'd reach production.


According to Nissan the concept caused such "overwhelming pressure" in the streets of Dubai lately that they were forced to make it come true. The production-run is going to be very limited though, about 20 cars, and Nissan is only taking orders for the next four weeks, so you better be quick. The price hasn't been mentioned but according to Nissan it's "a lot". The equation is about a 100,000£ in donor-cars and four months of intensive labour so I guess it adds up to "a lot". My advice is, if you have "a lot" of money just waiting to be spent, don't hesitate. You want it.

The good news for those who are willing to spend is that the production-car will pack even more horses and tech than the concept because the production-car will be based on the 2012 Nissan GT-R instead of the 2010 GT-R as the concept was. In numbers that means power is up from 478hp to 545hp and torque is up from 434lb/ft to 459lb/ft. It's suspected that the 2012 engine, a 3.8 liter twin-turbocharged V6 with tweaked cylinder-heads, a reworked inlet manifold and new sodium-filled valves, will propel the little monster from 0-100kph in about 3,5 seconds where as the concept only got to about 3,7. Quite agreeable for a Juke. Quite agreeable for about anything, in fact.

The car will be built in the UK, in the same place where the concept was birthed and the first R's are due to roll out in late summer of 2012.

The Juke-R is definately something special. Something that escaped from the drawingboard of a diabolical maniac. A thing that wasn't meant to see daylight, a thing that wasn't meant to happen. It's a puppy with glowing red eyes and robot-intestants. It's the Darth Vader of cars. You don't see that every day.

Welcome to the dark side.

A Juke-R?

A Darth Vader? Damn it's hard to tell apart!

-HS