Nissan Australia has released price and specification details for the JUKE NISMO RS, which goes on sale this month.
Strictly limited to just 240 examples, the British-built super-JUKE arrives in Australia as the car-maker discontinues the pint-size NISMO model’s production.
For now, Nissan Australia says it will be the third and final variant in the local NISMO line-up, joining the existing GT-R NISMO supercar and 370Z NISMO sports coupe.
The compact performance crossover also arrives here as Nissan prepares to launch a replacement for its original JUKE, which was first launched in 2010.
Pricing for the JUKE NISMO RS starts at $37,790 for the six-speed manual variant and $41,490 for the CVT automatic – a $7600 premium on the JUKE Ti-S on which the NISMO is based.
The caveat here is that the manual is front-wheel drive, while the automatic drives all four wheels.
Both JUKE NISMO variants source power from a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine lifted from the JUKE Ti-S.
Engineers extracted an additional power via an ECU tune and new exhaust system. The manual variant delivers 160kW/280Nm and the automatic 157kW/250Nm.
NISMO isn’t revealing an official 0-100km/h acceleration time, but we’d suggest around seven seconds. Fuel use, meanwhile, is rated at 7.2L/100km (manual) and 7.3L/100km (auto).
The powertrain updates are accompanied by a new suspension tune comprising a reinforced front transverse link, NISMO-tuned KYB twin-tube shock absorbers and stiffer front and rear stabiliser bars. The braking package is improved courtesy of beefed up 320mm front and 296mm rear discs.
Standard equipment for the JUKE NISMO comprises 18-inch wheels, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, climate control, 5.8 inch touch-screen display, satellite-navigation and digital radio.
The safety suite comprises a 360-degree camera, front, front side and curtain airbags, two ISOFIX child restraint anchorage points and electronic aids including stability control. Blind Spot Monitoring and Lane Departure Warning. However, autonomous emergency braking is not available in any JUKE model.
The JUKE NISMO measures 4.1 metres long, while boot space is rated at 354 litres in the case of the 2WD manual, and just 207 litres for the AWD automatic.
Like all Nissan models in Australia, including the updated MY18 JUKE range released earlier this month, it is covered by a three-year/100,000km new-vehicle factory warranty.
How much does the 2018 Nissan JUKE NISMO cost?
FWD manual -- $37,790
AWD CVT auto -- $41,490
* Prices exclude on-road costs