Nissan has released pictures of the Juke Nismo - the more affordable performance Juke for those who can't stretch to the £500,000 asking price for the 553hp Juke-R. Set to be unveiled in its production form at the Le Mans 24 hours this weekend, the Juke Nismo remains loyal to the concept car that was shown at the Geneva Motor Show.

The Nismo model sports a more aggressive body kit than the standard car with new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, roof spoiler and a new grille. Wider wheel arches have also been fitted to accommodate 18-inch alloy wheels, while the interior has been treated to suede-trimmed Nismo sports seats complete with red stitching. The steering wheel and gear knob are also exclusive to the Nismo model.

The Juke Nismo is powered by a tuned version of the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine that will be used by the Nissan DeltaWing on track at Le Mans. Power output has yet to be confirmed but a figure around 200hp seems likely. As well as featuring stiffened suspension settings, steering modifications and improved traction control, the new model will also be available with torque vectoring, for better grip and cornering ability.

The Juke Nismo will be built at Nissan's plant in Sunderland, alongside the rest of the Juke family, with UK sales starting in early 2013. It will go on sale in Japan and USA at a later date.

Paul Healy - 14 Jun 2012