The Juke-R, a GT-R in Juke's Clothing, Faces Off Against the GT-R | Nissan

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A GT-R in Juke's Clothing!

Juke-R Takes on the GT-R

UK automotive media outlet 'Auto Express' has released a video of a showdown between the European Nissan concept car, the Juke-R, and the latest 2012 model GT-R. The battleground was the Bedford Autodrome circuit in the UK, where each car completed one lap to compete for the fastest time.

Text by SUZUKI Fumihiko (OPENERS)

Battle of the Ultimate Rivals

The 'Juke-R' is a concept car created by Nissan UK in just 22 weeks. Its quirky design, with the exterior of a Juke and the internals of a GT-R, caused a stir among automotive media worldwide as soon as its existence was reported late last year. European Nissan also released a series of videos on its official YouTube channel, which garnered a total of 2.2 million views in 10 weeks, making it a highly talked-about car.

Particularly noteworthy was the video linked next.Ferrari 458 Italia, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Lamborghini GallardoThe sight of the Juke leading these world-renowned sports cars is truly shocking.

However, some might argue that the Juke has an advantage on narrow, winding courses. Therefore, 'Auto Express' magazine in the UK decided to pit it against the GT-R, arguably the Juke-R's greatest rival.

The GT-R goes first. It's the latest and most powerful 2012 model. The track is slightly wet, but its excellent performance is undiminished, recording a time of 65.8 seconds.

Next up is the Juke-R. It's not aerodynamically advantageous, and it's nearly 100kg heavier than the GT-R. Although it shares the same engine, it's a detuned version of the GT-R's. It faces numerous disadvantages. However, the result is 67.1 seconds, just 1.3 seconds slower. Even with the advantage of a dry track, this is an impressive performance, almost unimaginable from its appearance.

Only Two Super SUVs

Only two concept cars were built: a right-hand drive and a left-hand drive Juke-R. It is road-legal. The fenders are flared to accommodate the GT-R's RAYS forged 20-inch alloy wheels, and the front air intakes are enlarged for cooling the powerful engine. At the rear, a diffuser is integrated into the bumper, and a wing split in the center is mounted above the tailgate.

Looking at the interior, there are no rear seats; instead, a roll cage is installed. The steering wheel, pedals, console, and 7-inch touchscreen are clearly transplanted from the GT-R.

The engine is the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 as the GT-R. Its maximum output is 485 bhp and peak torque is 588 Nm, lower than the GT-R's 540 bhp and 632 Nm respectively. However, compared to the standard Juke's 190 bhp and 240 Nm, this is performance on another level.

Along with the engine, the gearbox, four-wheel-drive system, and suspension have been adapted from the GT-R, although adjustments have been made for the Juke. The vehicle weighs 1,806 kg, about 380 kg heavier than a standard Juke, but its 0-100 km/h acceleration is 3.7 seconds compared to the Juke's 8.4 seconds. Including body dimensions and other specifications, the specs for the Juke and Juke-R are as follows.

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