Juke-R is done - Guess who's not happy?

[AZhitman]

...and now that it's done, apparently some of the executives at Nissan are not too happy that the Juke-R project even happened.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2ebtozgFTE[/youtube]

Now, you're going to read lots of articles about how "strange" that seems. It's really not.

Remember when we did the 370Z Tour? You know, the one where we drove a preproduction 370Z across the country?

Yeah - The folks from Nissan Corporate were NOT too pleased that we got the VERY FIRST speeding ticket in an as-yet-unreleased 370Z. So displeased, in fact, that they didn't deliver on ANY of the cool goodies we were promised.

Apparently, it's "dishonorable" to get a speeding ticket. I tried to explain that IT'S A SPORTS CAR (and that this is America, we don't have those kind of hangups)... they weren't having it. In fact, they pressured us to take it out of the article!

For those who didn't read it back then: NICOclub Drives the 370Z!

Anyway, the Juke-R is cool. Nissan Corporate doesn't like it. Yet they gave the green light to the Murano Cross-Cabriolet...

C'mon, Nissan... WTF?

[Jesda]

I look forward to hearing about the Cross Cabriolet's ability to haul things home from the fabric store.

*shakes fist at Nissan*

The Juke R, as ugly as it may be, is dripping with character, and lends personality to a micro-crossover that was more strange than striking. They should license it for die-cast models, RC cars, shirts, trinkets, toys, and video games to lend some street cred and cachet to the 'Juke' brand.

This reminds me of when Chrysler developed the Viper. A group of designers and engineers were shipped off (though with the blessing of a couple top execs) to a separate facility where they quietly developed the car, free of interference from bean counters, middle managers, and marketing gurus. The original intent was to see if they could do it, just for fun, just for the hell of it, just to see what the company's best people could do. The result was so delightfully outrageous that the Viper was put into production for two decades. The car was so impressive that it secured lines of credit and supplier partnerships for the rest of the company.

Sometimes, its healthy to tell the MBAs to eff off and build things that defy convention.

[Razi]

Yet they gave the green light to the Murano Cross-Cabriolet...

Thanks for reminding me.

[AZhitman]

Sometimes, its healthy to tell the MBAs to eff off and build things that defy convention.

Allegedly, the Cross-Cabriolet was pushed through by none other than Mr. Ghosn himself.

[Ozzie]

Allegedly, the Cross-Cabriolet was pushed through by none other than Mr. Ghosn himself.

Makes it hard to be a die-hard Nissan fan, while they insist on cramming crap like that down our throats, huh?

[Rev_D21]

Sometimes, its healthy to tell the MBAs to eff off and build things that defy convention.

Allegedly, the Cross-Cabriolet was pushed through by none other than Mr. Ghosn himself.

Makes you wonder if Ghosn has bitten a few pillows in his day.

[Rex]

... The Juke R, as ugly as it may be, is dripping with character, and lends personality to a micro-crossover that was more strange than striking. They should license it for die-cast models, RC cars, shirts, trinkets, toys, and video games to lend some street cred and cachet to the 'Juke' brand.
...

Exactly. This could easily be a Halo vehicle for Nissan, even if they only made/sold 1000 of them with little to no profit.

[Bubba1]

Makes you wonder if Ghosn has bitten a few pillows in his day.

Actually that is a good question for the "ask Ghosn" thread. No, not if he toots beef whistles, but What on earth was he thinking when he pushed for the useless murano cabriolet, and killed what might have become the ultimate affordable pocket rocket.

[BusyBadger]

Yeah - The folks from Nissan Corporate were NOT too pleased that we got the VERY FIRST speeding ticket in an as-yet-unreleased 370Z. So displeased, in fact, that they didn't deliver on ANY of the cool goodies we were promised.

Apparently, it's "dishonorable" to get a speeding ticket. I tried to explain that IT'S A SPORTS CAR (and that this is America, we don't have those kind of hangups)... they weren't having it. In fact, they pressured us to take it out of the article!

Someone had to be first, might as well make it on the inaugural drive. If they didn't want that maybe they should have provided you with a better radar detector. The performance on that Escort was below par, even back then.

I agree, with everything about the Juke-R being cool. Hell, I think the regular Juke is cool and apparently so do some perfomance parts makers. And it's past the usual wing and things stuff we usually see in attempt to just whip out something cheap that masses will buy to make their new ride "look better" - though a good drop on the Juke makes it look so much better than the stock height.

Stillen has an exhaust out for the Juke that shows some decent gains (especially for the money spent) and they've got a new mid-pipe in production too. The Juke could benefit from some better ic piping, the OEM setup has too much plastic piping and changes diameter frequently, making for poor (or at least, inefficient) airflow. I'd love to see a true FMIC but I don't know if we'll see it right away with the Juke front profile being what it is. And I'm sure the guys at UpRev will have something fir the Juke in a while and since it's FI maybe even Cobb will get in the game!

The Juke R, as ugly as it may be, is dripping with character, and lends personality to a micro-crossover that was more strange than striking. They should license it for die-cast models, RC cars, shirts, trinkets, toys, and video games to lend some street cred and cachet to the 'Juke' brand.

This in spades. Well, except that I don't think the Juke is ugly.

[AZhitman]

I absolutely intend for that to be top of the list, if we ever get the opportunity - I'm not optimistic.

You'd think after running the largest website in support of their vehicles for TEN years, I'd have at least gotten a Christmas card. An opportunity to chat with the Top Dog isn't terribly likely.

[Encryptshun]

No kidding! I called NNA consumer affairs up and was like "I'm NICO Moderator of the Month! Give me a new Pathfinder!" and they were all like "Did you know your Xterra is due for an oil change?"

Gonna blow em up.

[AZhitman]

I'd settle for a Christmas card.

[sbird1]

I can't believe Nissan is shooting themselves in the foot so badly. Do they just not care about the enthusiast community within Nissan? It's almost like they are trying to do away with all of the things that their followers have come to love about them as well as push off the largest Nissan dedicated forum on the web. WTF Nissan?

[Encryptshun]

I'd settle for a Christmas card.

LOL I wasn't trying to imply you were being unreasonable. I guess it did kinda come out that way. Sorry, boss!

[AZhitman]

HAHAHA - totally didn't take it that way. I was being comedically wry.

Realistically, they have left us alone - which is a blessing in my book. Sure, I'd like us to have some collaboration and consideration, but no attention is better than harassment.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

If it makes you guys feel any better, the NICO system for finding factory service manuals is far superior to the one at Nissan. I use NICO to find them when at work.

[bigbadberry3]

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/03/niss ... n-w-video/

Can't find the more recent thread....

[RCA]

HOLY ZOMBIE THREAD

[jbracy7]

I would trade my type-m for a 2012 juke right now

[danshaz82]

so whens the NICO Juke-R test drive happening?

[themadscientist]

I watched the video waiting to see something exciting. I'm still waiting.....

[VQpwrdSE-R]

According to an article released this week by Edmunds Inside Linethe juke-R will be released on a limited production build-to-order basis.

http://www.insideline.com/nissan/juke/b ... 90000.html

Just the Facts:
The Nissan Juke-R will be available as a limited-production built-to-order car, said Nissan on Thursday.
A Nissan Americas spokesman told Inside Line: "We will make Juke-R available to customers anywhere in the world on a build-to-order basis."
The Juke-R is also starring in an online movie released Thursday on Facebook.

LONDON — The Nissan Juke-R will be available in limited numbers to U.S. customers on a build-to-order basis, priced from just under $600,000, said Nissan on Thursday, as it bows to pressure to make the high-performance vehicle a reality.

In response to an e-mail query from Inside Line, Nissan Americas Vice President David P. Reuter said: "We will make Juke-R available to customers anywhere in the world on a build-to-order basis. It is intended for serious collectors and investors who want to own a true original, an innovative project that will only be created in extremely small numbers."

Reuter said the Juke-R will be priced from around $590,000.

Nissan's U.K. arm said in a statement that people were making offers to buy the original, which prompted the decision to put the car in "very limited" production. The production version will be based on the drivetrain and chassis of the 2012 Nissan GT-R. The original version was based on the 2010 Nissan GT-R.

The first cars, which have been ordered already, will be delivered late this summer, including to unnamed customers in Dubai. The Juke-R made its global debut in January in Dubai.

The Juke-R is also starring in an online movie released Thursday on Facebook.



Inside Line says: U.S. buyers will not be shut out of this one.

The price of this thing is nuts! All that for a rollcage, GTR guts and a Juke shell. I could easily think of 30 other cars I would buy with $600,000. I imagine being that they will be limited production a full assembly line will never be dedicated to it. Subsequently raising the cost of prodution. Even yet it makes me question how large is the profit margin. So like most supercars will it be hand crafted? Better hope so for that price.

Regardless I still want one.

[themadscientist]

Will it still look like a Juke?

[jdansmith]

$600K?????? GTFO Nissan, how on earth can they justify that???

[Jesda]

$600k is Nissan's way of saying "OKAY FINE WE'LL BUILD IT" while giving everyone a middle finger.


Up yours, Nissan.

[Mr1der]

because it's not gonna be built on a line. The Juke-R was more race car than street car.

also, wealthy oil barons will pay. Apparently Top Gear staffers got offered 7 figure numbers for the car that didn't start with 1 or 2.

[audtatious]

If it's not another crappy crossover then Nissan no care.

[Jesda]

because it's not gonna be built on a line. The Juke-R was more race car than street car.

also, wealthy oil barons will pay. Apparently Top Gear staffers got offered 7 figure numbers for the car that didn't start with 1 or 2.

A completely handmade, fully bespoke Spyker C8?

$230k.

[alms24sebring]

yeah no thanks. Ill just hate on its ugly crossoverness. My left testi cant even pay for that.

[Mr1der]

because it's not gonna be built on a line. The Juke-R was more race car than street car.

also, wealthy oil barons will pay. Apparently Top Gear staffers got offered 7 figure numbers for the car that didn't start with 1 or 2.

A completely handmade, fully bespoke Spyker C8?

$230k.

see "wealthy oil barons will pay"

and I do love the Spyker...the interior they make is fantastic.