NISMO has actually been around since the 1980s, but only recently has the name worked its way into mainstream car culture. An abbreviation of Nissan Motorsport International Limited, this naturally racing-oriented branch of Nissan is now expanding its presence to more street cars, and with products like this Juke and the 370Z NISMO, it’s becoming a Japanese equivalent of BMW’s M and Mercedes-Benz’s AMG. And like those German packages, the NISMO cars are about more than a couple of badges and a few extra horsepower. The Juke NISMO, for example, boasts nearly 100 separate performance, exterior and interior modifications from the standard car, and many of the exterior tweaks are to help the quirky-looking thing cut through the air more effectively. Speaking of the Juke, we recently had a NISMO edition Juke to test, and after not thinking much about the normal version, we came away pleasantly surprised by this oddball.
Think what you will of the Juke’s styling. It’s been polarizing from the moment it came out, and a lot of people have made jokes about its chubby, grinning face and its unusual proportions running from front to back. Love it or hate it, though, you have to admit that the Juke is a really unique, original vehicle and you always know one when you see it. In today’s world of dull, predictably shaped sedans and compact SUV’s, you have to respect Nissan at least a little bit for taking a chance. And if you’re in the camp of people who actually like the Juke for its distinct looks, then the NISMO version will impress you even more. The general consensus among those polled was that the NISMO is strangely likable and somehow it works. We agree.
