Nissan Juke East African Rally Tribute comes to life

Nissan has done it – it's made the Juke Hybrid Rally Tribute a reality.

First teased as a digital concept in the middle of 2021, the Japanese manufacturer decided to go all-in and promote its upcoming Juke hybrid by harking back to the 240Z, which took part in the East African Rally half a century ago.

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While Nissan could have used the new Z coupe as the base of its project, the naturally high-riding Juke is probably a better candidate, as its 69kW/148Nm petrol engine combines with a 36kW/205Nm electric motor to deliver 25 per cent more power than the current petrol-only Juke.

Just like a typical racecar, the Juke's gearbox uses dog clutches rather than synchros to feed through its four gears for the combustion engine and two for the electric motor.

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Visually, there are a number of non-standard parts on this crossover to make it look like it could take on whatever the desert throws at it – from reinforced, long-travel suspension to chunky 265/70R16 tyres and underbody protection.

Painted in red, the black bonnet and wheels pay tribute to the 1971 Africa-spec 240Z, as do the vintage sponsor logos and numbering – although safety has come a long with the removal of rear seats, the addition of four-point harnesses and a competition-grade interior with a hydraulic handbrake.

Unfortunately there's no chance of the Juke going into production like this, and Nissan Australia has already ruled out the new hybrid variant for local buyers.