Nissan presents Juke Rally Tribute Concept inspired by 240Z

MANILA: Nissan celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the victory of the iconic 240Z in the East Africa Rally by releasing sketches that show what a contemporary Nissan rally car based on the Juke would look like.

The images of the Juke Rally Tribute Concept were unveiled in time for the first day of the Safari Rally Kenya.

The Juke is known for its robust and elevated stance on the road. Its short front and rear overhangs naturally provide a remarkable agility and strong potential off-road performance.

The Juke Rally Tribute Concept features enlarged wheel arches to house the tailor-made off-road tires, making the vehicle look more striking. Additional lights are located on the hood and roof to highlight the vehicle’s off-road persona.

The Juke Rally Tribute Concept is designed with a black hood and black wheels as a nod to the 1971 240Z that was used in the East African Rally. These visual elements also served as inspiration for the Gripz concept car that Nissan showcased at Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015, which influenced the design of the Juke that was launched in 2019.

As part of Nissan’s initiatives in making its entire range electrified, the Juke Rally Tribute Concept will be powered by an electric hybrid powertrain to provide better efficiency, while generating additional instant torque for better performance in any situation.

“The Juke Rally Tribute Concept celebrates an iconic moment in Nissan's heritage, with the participation and victory of the legendary 240Z in the East African Rally in 1971. As well as celebrating that victory, it reflects Nissan's pioneering history in crossovers, striking design and electrified powertrains. We're delighted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the victory of that remarkable achievement with these striking images,” Nissan Automotive Europe Vice President for Brand and Customer Experience Coralie Musy stated.

“Nissan is currently writing an exciting chapter of its history as we are in the middle of renewing our range of crossovers in Europe. The replacement of the first generation of the pioneering and iconic Juke was introduced in late 2019 and is proving extremely popular with customers. We have also just launched the third generation of the benchmark and newly electrified Qashqai in Europe, while the rugged X-Trail Crossover will follow next year,” Musy added.

In 1971, Edgar Hermann, together with navigator Hans Schuller, helmed the iconic 240Z to vie for the championship of the demanding East African Safari Rally. The 240Zs took the second and seventh spots, which were Nissan’s second consecutive victory in the rally.

The 240Z was powered by a 1.4-liter straight-six-cylinder engine that produced 210ps, with power sent to the rear wheels. In 2013, the car was restored to become a part of Nissan’s heritage collection, which is displayed in Zama, near the Nissan global headquarters in Kanagawa, Japan.

Photos from Nissan

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