Weird/wildcard sport-compact type cars are the best! Bonus points if they look like a frog lol. But for real – small cars with big egos are where it’s at! In the late 90s & early 2000s, the NOPI/Super Street generation had that mindset tapped. And then came the internet to wreck it… to do all your thinking for you. And boy did it. The internet taught sheep to think in specs… black & white… this vs that… etc. A bunch of 1s & 0s with no heart.
Today people worship specs & stats…
Google reciters who can’t change oil… can rattle-off the horsepower numbers of all their paddle-shift dream cars. But guess what? Turn-key fast cars aren’t the flex you think they are. And you’ll learn that the second you get walked by a 450whp Nisan Juke lol. But here’s the thing…
First off – 1) There used to actually be new sport-compact cars on the market to buy! Not so much anymore. And 2) They used to be affordable enough to FAFO! Today, everything’s gone way upmarket. Carmakers have learned to exploit supply & demand. And they’ve learned to bait customers into ballooned monthly payments for fancy trims with FOX shocks, Pro/R badges, etc. Back in the day, sport-compacts weren’t the finish line… they were the starting point! A blank canvas. And it created a fun & diverse car culture. Notice I didn’t say perfect… I said fun & diverse. People could take the chance. They could play & experiment & go off-script.
Who the hell knows how Zachary Daniel ended up with a Nissan Juke…
But after owning a 370Z, he got drawn into the world of weirder Nissans. The black sheep. And he ended up with this a Nissan Juke RS.
Here’s a super-quick background on the Nissan Juke, since you probably never wondered lol. Nissan made the Juke Nismo in both FWD and AWD. But for some reason, AWD models only came with a CVT transmission. But then (here’s where it gets weird) – Nissan put out a Juke Nismo RS. The car that proves a point no one challenged. BUT – it’s absolutely kick-ass that Nissan made it! In the FWD variant, the Juke Nismo RS was strictly manual, with a stronger transmission, a limited slip, stronger internals, and wildly bolstered seats. It was an angry elf.
What was Nissan thinking with the Juke RS?!
No idea. But I love it. I just picture Nissan back at headquarters… punching air… 80s Nissan/Datsun sweatbands on… training for a fight/race that didn’t exist. But dammit I love when car companies get fired-up & weird! And here’s what I genuinely hope for Nissan. In the midst of all their current financial struggles & uncertain future, I hope that Nissan finds their weirdo balls again. Race everyone dammit! Even when they’re not racing. And if you’re gonna go out… go out in a blaze of glory. That could actually be what saves them.
I think Nissan is getting back on their rhythm…
And I think that younger (and upcoming) generations are going to value things like a manual transmission & analog gauges in a whole new way. You see – for the older generations, the introduction of screens & autonomy were a big deal. And they got us completely mesmerized. But now – screens are literally everywhere! Hell they’re on every Chilis & Olive Garden table! They’re oversaturated. In fact – they’re an annoyance! The absence of tech… is actually now more forward-thinking than another lifeless screen in another lifeless new car.
And young people looking for an outlet to express their identity… they understand that. Young people are beginning to want cars with more depth than digital can offer. Kids today are romancing & reminiscing about an era that they weren’t part of. When cars represented character & identity & freedom. That trend is coming again. And Nissan seems to be saying all the right things on that narrative. They seem to understand that there’s a market for the return of analog, affordable, functional, & authentic vehicles. Whether or not they’ll actually do it – we’ll see. But if Nissan does – I think there’s a population who’ll be ready to receive it. The Nissan Juke was never a beauty pageant winner. But ugly cars can be endearing too.
The Nissan Juke is the kind of car that makes you go, “Whoa that’s ugly?!”
Quickly followed by, “Hold up though, it could actually be cool if….” And that fun-fueled determination to prove ’em wrong is what ignites the aftermarket. Affordability is the spark. Affordable cars make creative people curious. And that’s what we’ve lost in the modern era.
But like I said – I think the tides are changing… Companies like REO, Slate, and even Fiat (with their new Topolino glorified golf cart) are gaining conversation & traction. In addition, legislation that made smaller, affordable cars nearly impossible, is being relaxed. The market is demanding affordable, simplified, and modular options. The excess will correct… it’s inevitable. But back to this Juke…
Somehow someway, Zach became consumed with making his Nissan Juke jive…
And with the help of 2J Racing in North Georgia, they went bonkers! Joe Ippolito at 2J is a friend & kindred spirt of mine. He has an affection for underdog, compact, beast-mode rocket cars. And this Juke Nismo RS makes 450 wheel horsepower! In a 2,800 pound frog-body compact-crossover! With a manual transmission! What’s even happening?! 2J Racing made all the parts to support the Garrett G25-660 turbo transplant. Including the manifold, intercooler piping, downpipe, side-exit exhaust, tuning, etc (see modlist below).
It wasn’t Zach’s plan, but the Nissan Juke became his whole identity…
Because like it or not, when you have a 450hp Juke… word gets around. ALSO when you have a 450hp Juke… it’s gonna break from time to time lol. And sadly – the Juke is down right now… in the yard… waiting on some love.
I hope Zach gets his Nissan Juke back on the road soon. Cause when you look around the road these days, there’s not a whole lot to get jazzed-up about. Sure, there’s a lot of “fast cars” out there. But we’ve somehow fallen off the space-time continuum… where some of the fastest cars, are now also some of the most uninteresting. Go figure. I hereby call for a return to the days when new cars were rad, weird, & scrappy! Where they didn’t all look like each other. When performance had personality!
So when you see those random marketplace used cars or whatever. And your spirit lights up a little cause you see it for what it could be & not what it is. Feed that impulse! Even if it’s a Juke lol! Be the army that puts unique vibes back on the streets, Lord knows we don’t need any more fanboy followers.
Nissan Juke Nismo RS
ENGINE
Garrett G25-660 turbo
Custom Uprev tune from 2J Racing
Other 2J Racing components include…
-Intercooler & piping, intake, downpipe, exhaust manifold, & side-exit exhaust
Turbosmart blow-off valve
Go Fast Bits boost controller
Nissan GTR ignition coil packs
Snow Performance methanol injection kit
MaxBore throttle body (bored from 60-64mm)
TRANSMISSION
Custom polyurethane shifter bushings
Synchrotech carbon synchros
Nisformance RS6F52H bearing kit, F52 roll pins & shift seals
3.8 final drive from Altima
M-Factory helical limited slip differential
Custom SS 3D-printed shifter cable bracket
Corner balanced alignment
Custom shortened shifter stalk
4H-Tech short-throw shifter arm (Australia)
INTERIOR
Custom Brake Boost Switch in OEM Button Blank (button from Lightforce Australia)
Safety Restore red seatbelts
Revesol carbon fiber steering wheel
Custom gauge pod mount in air vent (w/ Banks Datamonster)
WHEELS / BRAKES / SUSPENSION
Rays Nismo 57CR 18X9.5 +38
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 275/35R18
Ultra Racing 4-point trunk brace, subframe bracing, & rear sway bar
2J Racing custom fabricated subframe bracing & front strut brace
Whiteline front swaybar end links
Spoon rigid subframe collars
BC Racing DS coilovers (w/ Swift springs)
SLRspeed tubular front lower control arms
Powerflex front lower control arm bushings
MannyMounts polyurethane motor mounts
Z1 Akebono BBK with red Nissan calipers
2J Racing SS brake lines
EBC Yellowstuff brake pads
Aesthetics:
Nismo carbon fiber front lip (Japan)
Seibon carbon fiber GTR vented hood
Full LED gator lights (from Dubai w/ engine harness sourced from UK for wiring them)
All bracing powdercoated Nismo Red
Jet-Hot coated hot-side of turbo
Aluminum under tray
ZSPEC rear windshield wiper delete
WEIGHT REDUCTION
Tubular front crash bar
All interior behind front seats stripped out
Rockford Fosgate factory sub removed
Spare tire & tools removed
Sound deadening removed
Braille lithium battery
2,800lb vehicle weight
Not Installed, but Own…
Nismo carbon fiber spoiler extensions
Karakuri carbon fiber fender flares
Web custom-ground camshafts
@Killboy for Tail of the Dragon Photos
