NISSAN LIVE REPORTING: THE LATEST NEWS DIRECT FROM THE NISSAN JUKE NISMO LIVE EVENT IN BARCELONA, SPAIN, WHERE NISSAN’S PERFORMANCE ARM IS BEING OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN EUROPE
Barcelona, Spain 23 January, 2013 – The wait is over – the first Nissan Nismo road car for Europe has arrived.
Under the Nismo performance division brand, Nissan will launch a range of new sports models starting with the Juke Nismo. This is the first chapter in a production car story which will unveil a range of models benefitting from motorsport DNA and engineering honed on the track.
Paul Willcox, Nissan’s senior vice president for sales and marketing in Europe explains: “Nismo is the ultimate expression of our brand: Innovation that Excites. The Juke Nismo will be the first of a range of Nismo models which we will add to our line-up in the coming months, making the Nismo spirit of innovation accessible to a wide range of customers across Europe.”
Infused with Nismo engineering, the Juke Nismo offers motorsport inspired design and aerodynamics along with enhanced performance and handling. Power comes from a modified version of Nissan’s acclaimed 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged petrol engine, delivering 200PS in both front and four wheel drive Juke Nismo models.
NISSAN JUKE NISMO – MANUFACTURED IN EUROPE
Nissan Live reporting: The latest news direct from the Nissan Juke Nismo Live Event in Barcelona, Spain, where Nissan’s performance arm is being officially launched in Europe.
The highly experienced engineering and manufacturing teams have integrated the first of the new Nismo models into the existing production line. Thanks to Nissan’s advanced assembly operation, it’s a seamless process with no special day-to-day provisions or delays.
The bold design features of Juke Nismo have required some modifications at the plant, for production of the unique front and rear bumpers plus other elements of the new, more aerodynamic body. The car also makes use of the Sunderland plant’s new Pearl White paint facility.
Since its launch in 2010, more than 330,000 Jukes have been built at the factory, where Nissan also manufactures the Note, Qashqai and Qashqai+2.
Last year the plant set a new production record of 510,000 units, up from the previous best of 480,000 in 2011. The 2010 benchmark of 420,000 was the first time in history that any UK car production facility had made more than 400,000 passenger vehicles in a year.
When the plant opened in 1986, employees assembled 12.5 cars per hour. The figure is now an astonishing 118 per hour, 60 on Line 1 and 58 on Line 2. Around 80 per cent of production is exported, mainly to mainland Europe but to a total of 97 international markets.
The Juke Nismo is the first of a range that will take Nissan’s wealth of global motorsport success and move it from the race track to the road. The Juke Nismo features a more aerodynamic body kit, driver-focused interior upgrades and a more powerful turbocharged engine. Stiffer suspension and modified steering means an enhanced dynamic experience, with sportier handling and improved traction.
ABOUT NISSAN IN EUROPE
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 14,500 staff across locally-based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. Last year Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 695,000 vehicles including mini-MPVs, award-winning crossovers, SUVs and commercial vehicles. Nissan now offers 24 diverse and innovative products for sale in Europe today, and is positioned to become the number one Asian brand in Europe.
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Text and photograph by: Nissan.
