Nissan Officially Reveals Juke Small Crossover

Nissan revealed its all-new small crossover - Nissan Juke, ahead of its public debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show.

The new small crossover, that Nissan says is "part SUV, part sports car", is based on the Qazana concept car unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show last March.

Bringing technological advancements in engine technology, cabin design and turbocharged efficiency, the Juke is set to become one of the most influential debutants of 2010.

Sales of Nissan Juke will begin in Japan in the summer of 2010, with the European and North American launch beginning in the autumn of 2010.

From a design standpoint, the lower portion of Juke is pure SUV, with chunky wheels, wide tires, extended ground clearance and a robust stance. But the top portion is unadulterated sports car, with a high waistline, slim visor-like side glass graphics and a coupé-style falling roofline. The coupé effect is further underlined by the rear doors which have their handles hidden in the frame of the door.

Inside, the sports car theme continues with a driver-focused cabin dominated by a centre console design inspired by a motorcycle fuel tank. Finished in a distinctive high gloss color, the ‘bike’ console adds a sense of fun to the car. Practicality is assured by the rear-opening hatch and versatile luggage area with hidden storage opportunities.

Nissan Juke is based on Renault Nissan Alliance B-Platform and has a 2530mm wheelbase, is 4135mm long, 1765mm wide and 1570mm tall. To allow the top of the range to use 17-inch wheels and 215/55 R17 tires, the track front and rear is 1525mm, the widest yet seen on the Alliance B-platform.

In Europe, there will be three engine and manual or CVT transmission choices when Juke sales start in the second half of the year. At the top of the range is a newly developed 1.6-litre Direct Injection Gasoline turbocharged engine which develops 140kW (190PS) and 240Nm.

The Direct Injection Gasoline engine in two-wheel drive versions of Juke will be coupled to a six-speed manual transmission. On the four-wheel drive version, it will be mated to Nissan’s  XTRONIC CVT transmission, with six-speed manual mode.

The second petrol engine, which also displaces 1.6-litres and has four valves per cylinder, is an extensively reworked member of the HR family. Designated HR16DE, it has undergone a number of significant changes with a larger exhaust manifold, a retuned intake manifold, twin VTC, improved intake tumble flow and new catalyst with a hexagon cell formation.

The engine produces 86kW (117PS), representing a six per cent improvement over previous versions of the engine. Torque has improved by three per cent to 157Nm while economy figures show a 5.6 per cent improvement. The normally aspirated petrol engine powers two-wheel drive versions only, and will be available with either the five-speed manual or the updated XTRONIC CVT transmission option, a different CVT transmission to the one used with the DIG engine.

The final engine choice is the familiar Alliance developed K9K 1.5-litre dCi turbocharged common rail diesel. The 1,461cc eight-valve engine delivers good fuel economy, low emissions and running costs with excellent driveability.

With power rated at 81kW (110PS) at 4,000 rpm and torque at an impressive 240 Nm at 1,750 rpm this unit features a fuel return rail and control unit for improved fuel efficiency. Injection pressure is 1,600 bar. Improved glow plug performance speeds up cold start performance. Emission control systems include a diesel particulate filter (DPF), with a fifth injector for regeneration and cooled exhaust gas recirculation while the turbocharger layout altered to make the distance between it and the DPF as short as possible.

The diesel will be available on two-wheel drive models with the six-speed manual transmission. For Europe, all the engines are fully Euro 5 compliant.

While the manual transmission has been carried over largely unchanged from Qashqai, both XTRONIC CVT systems feature a number of key technologies that promise significant improvements in weight, packaging, performance and fuel efficiency.

The updated XTRONIC CVT unit, used with the conventional 1.6-litre petrol engine, is 10 per cent shorter than before and 13 per cent lighter while internal friction has been reduced by a remarkable 30 per cent. This unit is the world’s first CVT with a sub planetary gear which allows a far higher transmission ratio – 7.3:1 – than previous Nissan CVTs. Smaller, lighter pulleys, a flexible lock up damper and a more efficient oil pump all promote great fuel efficiency.

The XTRONIC CVT with 6-speed manual mode in the turbocharged petrol-engined Juke has been tuned for a more sporting performance with revised manual modes for sharper acceleration while the management system has been reprogrammed to enhance fuel efficiency. Both CVTs have adaptive shift control systems that can be selected via the Nissan Dynamic Control System.