JUKE CONFIRMS NISSAN'S CROSSOVER STATUS AS SALES SOAR
--Lower emissions and a special edition add to Juke's incredible first year--
- Nissan Juke exceeds first year expectations with more than 100,000 sales
- Gearing changes lower CO2 emissions on diesel and normally aspirated petrol versions
- Production of All Mode 4x4-i versions to move to Europe to satisfy high demand
- Juke and Qashqai together dominate European Crossover market
- Dramatic and stylish special version launched of the energetic compact Crossover
- Special edition - KURO - limited to 2,800 examples for Europe and available in UK, Russia, Spain & Belgium
- One-off Juke-R magnifies Juke looks with GT-R performance
ROLLE (October 24, 2011) - Like Qashqai, Juke is a distinctive combination of SUV toughness and sporting style. Conceived to inject some masculinity and dynamism into the small car market, Juke combines a number of apparent contradictions beneath its highly individual lines.
From a styling perspective, its lower half is pure SUV with big wheels and wide tyres, extended ground clearance and a strong, robust stance accentuated by the aggressive front end styling. This is topped by a more sporting look, with a high curvature windscreen, slim side glass graphics and the falling roof-line of a coupé.
Inside there's a further mixture of panache and practicality. There's plenty of space in the cabin for five passengers, and a similarly practical luggage area, but the driver-focused cabin is dominated by a centre console designed inspired by the fuel tank of a Superbike. Safe, too - Juke has been awarded a 5-star crash test rating by Euro NCAP.
From every angle, Juke is the embodiment of the Crossover. And car buyers love it.
In little under a year, the Nissan Juke - the first B-segment Crossover - has firmly stamped its authority on the European market. Accounting for more than 60 percent of global sales of the model, Juke has claimed a +2 per cent market share from a standing start in Europe.
More than 120,000 examples have been built to date at Nissan's plant in Sunderland in the north of England for delivery to many corners of the globe, and by the end of September European sales stood at 100,000. Just as Qashqai did in the C-segment before it, Juke has blazed a trail through a previously conservative market segment.
The newest market to start selling Juke is Russia, where it is seen as a premium lifestyle product and where waiting lists are already growing.
With the car still so new, mid-term improvements are restricted to just one important change. Revisions to the final drive ratio of the normally aspirated petrol and the diesel models have reduced emissions and enhanced refinement by lowering noise levels without affecting the lively acceleration of either car.
Emissions from the manual version of the 117PS petrol-powered 1.6 Juke drop from 147g/km to 139g/km, while the 110PS 1.5 dCi diesel manual tumbles from 134g/km to 129g/km.
Importantly, the new CO2 figure for the diesel allows it to retain its PURE DRIVE badge. In Europe, the badge was initially placed on all Nissan vehicles that produced CO2 emissions of 140g/km or lower, but as the PURE DRIVE initiative continues that target has been lowered to 130g/km in 2011/12 and will reduce further, to 120g/km, in 2013/14.
Equally significant is the announcement that from October production onwards all 4wd versions of Juke for sale in Europe will be built at Sunderland alongside the 2wd models. Until now, Juke 4wd models have been imported to Europe from Japan while all 2wd models sold in Europe were built in Europe.
However, to respond to the increasing demand for the dynamic safety offered by all-wheel drive, all production has been transferred to enable us to deliver the vehicle much more quickly to our customers.
Like Qashqai, Juke brings advanced technology to the mass market at an affordable price. A perfect example of this can be found at the top of the range where the 1.6 DIG-T 4wd versions combines advanced engineering ideas to create a genuinely sporting package.
With direct petrol injection and a turbocharger, the DIG-T is one of the most powerful in its class. It develops 190PS and 240 Nm and provides the power and responses expected from a 2.5-litre engine with the economy of a smaller engine.
The 4wd chassis employs a new multi-link rear suspension and the latest version of Nissan's ALL-MODE 4x4-i electronic technology which adds a lateral torque-vectoring capability to its armoury. The Torque Vectoring System (TVS) is designed to limit understeer, and means Juke's handling is class-leading in spite of its higher ground clearance, while preserving ride comfort.
As well splitting torque front to rear - up to a maximum of 50:50 - it can now be split from side-to-side across the rear axle, too. Information collected by various sources (measuring wheel speed, steering angle, yaw rate and lateral G) is interpreted to anticipate the driver's intention.
Cornering ability is enhanced by increasing torque to the outside rear wheel, reducing understeer. The system quickly and faithfully follows direction change commands from the driver - whether cornering or lane changing. Under cornering, the system increases power to the outer wheel, the left-right difference adding yaw momentum to the vehicle and helping the car follow its intended course.
TVS actions are relayed to the driver via a real-time graphic display on the instrument panel depicting the torque distribution under all conditions: straight-line acceleration or accelerating when cornering, for example.
The inclusion of this innovation is a first in the small car segment - a technology that has, until now, only been found on top-of-the-range, premium vehicles. The newly developed all-wheel-drive system is noticeably lighter and more compact than similar systems used by some other manufacturers.
Juke's first birthday has been marked with a unique special edition. Called Kuro - the Japanese word for black - and based on Tekna grade, it has bold black features which either contrast with or harmonise with two metallic body colours: striking Force Red or dramatic Pearl Black.
Nissan Juke Kuro is on sale in limited markets - UK, Spain, Russia & Belgium. It is available across all three engine options and is based on the top Tekna grade. This means standard equipment includes leather upholstery, Nissan Dynamic Control System which gives the driver the chance to optimise the car's dynamic functions, Nissan Connect infotainment system with satellite navigation, colour reversing camera, climate control, Intelligent key, rain sensing wipers and automatic lighting.
JUKE-R, meanwhile, celebrates the hugely successful first year of Juke sales in a different way. It's a one-off special that explores the sporting side of Juke's concept and technology by taking it to the limit: underneath Juke's body beats the heart of the GT-R... further proof of Nissan's brand promise of Innovation and Excitement,
"Distinctive, innovative, responsive and fun to drive... it's little wonder Juke has proved to be an instant hit. Its success proves yet again that customers are fed up with the conventional and acknowledge Nissan's leadership when it comes to something more adventurous, more innovative and more exciting," said Guillaume Cartier, Vice President Sales, Nissan Europe.
"By moving production of 4wd versions to Europe we will be able to ensure supply in time to cope if we have another challenging winter!"
