Nissan replaced its funky-looking Juke with the Kicks in the US, but the Juke lives on in other markets. It still sports the model's trademark quirkiness, but it's more subdued than before. In its first generation, Nissan went wild and produced the Juke-R, a crossover that housed the potent twin-turbo V6 from the Nissan GT-R. Nissan doesn't offer such a model anymore, but new renderings from our friends at Kolesa.ru create a modern Juke-R.
The second-generation Juke still wears aggressive styling, with a slim greenhouse, chunky fenders, an angular rear end, and a bold front fascia. It looks sporty enough to house such a potent powertrain as the previous Juke-R, but the renderings add a bit more pizzazz over the standard crossover, though the changes are minor.
Gallery: Nissan Juke-R Unofficial Renderings
The bulk of the changes is at the front and rear. The modern Juke-R replaces the front bumper with a taller, sportier piece. It features a gaping intake at the front flanked by two black fog light housings that sit below the headlights and daytime running lights. Along the side, the Juke-R receives thicker side sills. The rear is even busier, with the roof spoiler receiving a roof-mounted wing. Below all of that is a new rear bumper and diffuser with four big round exhaust pipes.
The subtle changes, paired with the lowered suspension and new wheels, look good, though the extra spoiler on top is a bit gratuitous. Sadly, it's doubtful Nissan has any plans to produce a new Juke-R or any other high-performance crossover. Last month, it the automaker introduced a hybrid Juke variant, pairing a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with two electric motors.
It's unlikely we'll see something like the Juke-R again from Nissan anytime soon. That model roared onto the scene with the GT-R's twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter tuned up to GT-R Nismo's 600 horsepower (447 kilowatts) and 481 pound-feet (652 Newton-meters) of torque. That's a lot of power for such a small crossover, which is likely why Nissan never produced many. However, the new interpretation makes us wishful for such a model again.
