2019 Nismo Juke RS lands from $37,790

Nissan Australia has announced pricing and specifications for its latest and most unique hotted-up Nismo performance model – the 2019 Juke Nismo RS. 

Clearly differentiating itself from the two other Nismo-enhanced models offered in Australia, the GT-R Nismo and 370Z Nismo, the tuned Juke capitalises on the current SUV-buying craze, although the tweaks it sports are still in line with the other Nismo offerings.

Lobbing in from $37,790 with a six-speed manual and front-wheel drive, while it’ll be $41,490 with a CVT automatic and all-wheel drive, the new Juke range-topper is easily the cheapest Nismo car yet.

The extensive changes to the Juke Nismo RS start, most noticeably, on the outside where you’ll quickly spot the Nismo body kit with red pin-striping and highlights, a rear roof spoiler, and 10-spoke alloys.

On the inside, there are plenty of changes too, including suede sports seats with red contrast stitching, an Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, and plenty of other faux-suede highlights.

The mechanical changes are the real highlight of the Nismo version, however. While still sporting the same 1.6-litre turbocharged engine as the Ti-S variant, the Nismo team has bumped up its power and torque outputs by revising the ECU mapping, turning up the boost, and limiting its diet to 98-octane fuel only.

In the more potent manual-equipped models, power is rated at 160kW and torque at 280Nm – up from 140kW/240Nm – while CVT-equipped models are limited to 157kW and 250Nm.

To keep everything else in check, there’s also stiffer suspension, larger front brakes, and tweaked steering, while a Nismo exhaust should enhance the engine’s vocal qualities.

Similar to the more pedestrian Juke variants, the front-wheel drive-only manual version utilises torsion beam rear suspension, while the all-wheel drive CVT gains a fully-independent multi-link rear-end.

It should be noted that the more refined suspension does reduce boot space, offering just 207 litres as opposed to the manual’s far roomier 354 litre boot.

With production already finished, just 264 units will be up for grabs, which Nissan claims will account for a third of Aussie Juke sales.

2019 Nissan Juke pricing

Nissan Juke ST manual FWD$23,490
Nissan Juke Ti-S manual FWD$30,140
Nissan Juke Ti-S CVT AWD$33,840
Nissan Juke Nismo RS manual FWD$37,790
Nissan Juke Nismo RS CVT AWD$41,490

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