With the build complete, engineers were checking that all systems work correctly before heading to Silverstone to push the car’s limits on a proper track. It looks like a Juke but sounds like a GT-R, and judging by the way it lifts its skirts and explodes towards the horizon it performs a lot like a GT-R – albeit with noticeably more body roll.

The shakedown and testing programme will allow the engineers to fine-tune the Juke-R chassis, as well as check the workmanship of the joint RML/Nissan Europe engineering team prior to registering both cars (one LHD and the other RHD) for use on the public road.

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You may remember us mentioning that a ‘track focused’ version was on its way, when we introduced the new 542bhp 2012 GT-R last month. What we didn’t know at the time was exactly how focused Nissan planned on making the GT-R, given it lacks very little apart from carrying a little too much weight.

But much as I’d like to tell you than Nissan had lopped 100kg off the GT-R in a move to match Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS, that’s unfortunately not the case (and I do realise that even 100kg would not be enough to out-RS Porsche’s GT3). What they have done is beefed up the brakes, tightened the suspension’s springs and dampers and fitted some nice Spec V-like Recaro front seats.

All right, maybe I was fibbing slightly about the weight-loss, the ‘Track Pack’ results in the rear-seats being removed and lightweight six-spoke RAYS alloy wheels being fitted (again, much like the Spec V), so it may be lighter, although perhaps not noticeable enough for Nissan to confirm a specific amount in their press release.

Nissan describe the upgrades as being “..for drivers who want an extra edge on the race track” and yet despite the changes, the GT-R remains fully road legal.

Externally the Track Pack is easily identified by those six-spoke RAYS alloys with gloss black painted centres, whilst the brakes behind these are cooled by additional cooling ducts built into the front bumper. These reduce the operating temperature of the front brake discs by as much as 100 degrees during track use, improving the stopping performance. Similar ducts, hidden behind the rear wheels, channel cooling air over the rear discs.

To reflect this GT-R’s harder edge, the suspension’s spring rates have been revised to be optimal for track use. Like all GT-Rs though, the dampers are adjustable to offer more comfort when the car is being used on the road.

Engine power remains the same as the regular 2012 model GT-R, which means 542bhp of power, 632Nm of torque and a 0-60 mph time of just 2.7 seconds.

Inside, the Recaro front seats are trimmed with blue bolsters and a new high-grip material to keep the driver in place during hard cornering and braking ( I thought that’s what the seat belts were for..). A ‘Track Pack’ emblem on the centre console identifies the model as a special GT-R, as does the additional £10,000 withdrawn from your bank account taking the price of the GT-R (with Track Pack) up to £84,450.

Orders are being accepted now at any one of the 21 Nissan High Performance Centres around the UK, with first deliveries expected from March 2012.

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And yet like most temptations, I suspect that ‘once’ would never be enough, in fact strap me into this beast and you’d have a hard time prising me out again – however I’m really not a fan of its looks, hence the reason I’d feel obliged to stay inside..

These are the first videos which capture the sound of the Juke-R’s 480 bhp 3.8-litre engine as the beast springs to life. Dubbed the world’s fastest crossover, Juke-R is a one-off concept car that combines the power, speed and handling of Nissan’s flagship GT-R sports car with the odd design of the Juke crossover model.

As you can see from the images, Nissan see the Juke-R as ‘a bit of an animal’, rebellious, tempestuous even, but also a whole heap of fun. And then some.

From its matt black finish to its extended wheel arches and 20″ RAYS forged alloy wheels, there can be little doubt this is a car to provoke supercars and serve up a healthy dose of embarrassment at the track.

Large, provocative vents in the front bumper provide cooling for the Juke-R’s twin turbo V6 engine, while subtle submerged ducts in the bonnet help draw air through the engine bay.

At the rear of the car a dynamic split wing provides this super-crossover with downforce, while twin pentagonal exhausts emit an amplified version of the GT-R’s evocative engine note.

Inside, the Juke’s motorcycle-inspired console is at the centre of a modified interior cabin fitted out to go racing complete with twin race seats, full race harness and a race-spec roll cage. GT-R steering wheel, pedals, dials and 7-inch touch-screen display are built into a modified version of Juke’s dashboard.

As you will already be aware, the Juke-R is unfortunately not a production car but instead a special, road legal concept car. Two versions of the Juke-R are being created – one in left-hand-drive and one in right-hand-drive and Nissan will be testing customer response to ‘some’ of the concept car’s features for use in a future sports version of the Juke road car.

Alas, no matter how loudly we shout, the engine is unlikely ever to reach the options list of a production car – but then I’m sure some enterprising folk will study the 5 preceding build-story videos and come up with something similar.

The Juke-R will go into testing in late November before it’s unleashed to appear at PR events and speed festivals across Europe in 2012.

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Three years later Nissan facelifted the GT-R, but more importantly upped its power to 522 bhp due to revised engine mapping, changes to valve timing, larger inlets and a revised exhaust system. Job done then.

Just over 12 months later Nissan have moved their flagship model further out of reach, now offering 542 bhp and a wholesome slab of 632Nm torque from 3,200 to 5,800 rpm. It’s a good job BMW took the pre-emptive move of turning the latest F10 M5 up to 552 bhp.

Nissan’s 2012 GT-R gains more performance, agility and efficiency… plus a special new ‘Track Version’ for the UK and Japan only.

Engine

The changes made to bump the 2012 GT-R up by an extra 20 bhp and 20 Nm, are more extensive than you might realise.

Engine response and torque at mid and low-speeds, and power at high revolutions, has been significantly improved, mainly due to:

• Improved intake efficiency
• Better air flow resistance, which has been reduced by the addition of an intake manifold fitted to the head of each unit and the use of resin in the enlarged air intake duct for the intercooler.
• Improved exhaust emissions efficiency and enhanced control.
• Reduced air flow resistance thanks to a more compact under floor catalyser which improves emissions efficiency and reduces weight.
• Improved exhaust valve cooling performance by the adoption of a newly-designed metallic sodium-filled valve. At the same time, valve control timing, the air mixture ratio and ignition timing have been improved.

Upgrades for the 2012 model are not just about the GT-R’s performance – fuel economy has also been improved, albeit by an insignificant amount from 23.5 mpg to 24 mpg (combined).

Elsewhere

Nissan have applied their kaizen-philosophy throughout the rest of the car, improving the quietness and feel of the GT-R’s transmission and reinforcing parts of the body to improve stiffness. But perhaps the most evident step towards perfecting the GT-R can be demonstrated by the changes in its suspension – to account for the added weight of the driver in a right-hand drive vehicle coupled to the fact that the propeller shaft for front wheels is located on the right side of the vehicle; the GT-R’s suspension in RHD versions has been set asymmetrically.

What this means in practice is there’s now a harder spring rate on the front left side suspension while at the rear the suspension arm has been installed upwards on the left side and downwards on the right.

This means an imbalanced wheel load when the car is stationary, but which is equalised during driving, providing improved responsiveness, smoothness and steering feel, as well as enhanced cornering stability and riding comfort (for right-hand drive cars only).

Subtle changes have also been introduced to the GT-R’s dashboard including blue lighting, which has been added inside the tachometer ring to match the shift position indicator light and giving a more sophisticated atmosphere to the cockpit.

New ‘Track Focused’ variant

This is the real news we’ve been waiting for. The feud between Nissan, Porsche, Chevrolet and Lexus over the Nurburgring production car record shows no sign of abating, although the GT-R’s greatest handicap has always been the additional weight it carries.

So, Nissan are introducing a track-version of the GT-R for the UK and Japanese markets, which is designed for customers who want to enjoy a more track biased driving experience in their cars.

Nissan have yet to disclose the configuration of this limited-edition variant, but it sounds like there is more to it than fitting a few after-market parts and therefore it’s likely to be a full factory model.

We are told that further details of this new variant and pricing of the MY2012 GT-R, will be available early next month.

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And whilst Nissan’s Juke-R appears to push all of those buttons, I can’t help wondering what’s the point? Of course you could say the same thing about a Porsche Cayenne Turbo or BMW X6 M..

Nissan revealed the new Juke-R to an unsuspecting audience at yesterday’s Qashqai media launch in Malaga, Spain, which marks its first public appearance. Harnessing the power of the company’s flagship GT-R in the oddly designed Juke, Nissan hail their new showpiece as the ultimate compact crossover.

Whilst it would be easy to laugh at such a pointless vehicle, we understand the Juke-R is being used as a testbed for development of a more sporty Juke, likely to offer a little over 200 bhp.

Nevertheless, the Juke-R is already a marketing success. Videos charting the design and build of Nissan’s super-crossover have clocked up over 1 million views on YouTube during the past 3 weeks, along with thousands of conversation threads on blogs, forums and social networks.

Just two versions of the Nissan Juke-R are being created, one in each of left-hand and right-hand drive. The cars have been developed by Nissan and are being built by leading motorsports outfit RML with input from Nissan Technology Centre for Europe (NTC-E). Testing of the car will begin in November.

Unperturbed by such trivial economic circumstances, the folks at RML and Nissan Technical Centre for Europe (NTC-E) just couldn’t resist answering the question, “What do you get when you cross a Nissan Juke with a Nissan GT-R?” So the one-off concept will now be built to test the public’s reaction to a seriously sporty Juke.

But do they ‘really’ need to ask our opinion on a niche version of a car which already polarises opinion? I’m already loving it, and yet hating myself for doing so..

Under the bonnet is a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 engine adopted directly from Nissan’s flagship supercar. Under the boot floor hides the GT-R’s six-speed transaxle, with the front and rear ends joined by a modified GT-R 4WD driveline and prop shaft, while chunky 20-inch RAYS forged alloy rims fill each wheel arch.

The Juke-R is no stealth machine – the addition of flared wheel arches, revised front and rear bumpers plus a unique split rear wing making its intent clear for all to see.

Inside the Juke’s dashboard has been transformed to accommodate the gauges, dials and 7-inch customisable LCD display from the GT-R. The Juke’s iconic centre console, inspired by the fuel tank of a motorcycle, remains while the rest of the interior has the look of a machine bred for the track.

Only two Juke-Rs will be created, one in left-hand-drive and one in right-hand-drive, which are expected to complete first tests in November.

Twin race-seats with five-point harnesses sit inside a visible roll cage that provides FIA safety standards of protection as well as enhanced torsional stiffness for a chassis that was designed for less than half the power.

“Nissan Juke is one of the most exciting cars on the market today. Its bold crossover design has captured the imagination of car buyers all over Europe; after just a year on sale we are celebrating sales of more than 100,000 units,” said Paul Willcox, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Nissan in Europe.

“Juke lends itself perfectly to a sports derivative and Juke-R explores that territory. Equally at home on road and track, Juke-R showcases two of the most exciting cars in our range and highlights the technical innovation that drives Nissan. This car will more than live up to the dynamic driving experience we engineer into all our cars.”

You can follow progress of the Juke-R, by visiting Nissan’s Juke Facebook page, where you can also vent your appreciation (or frustration) of the project.

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Whilst affordability and peace of mind are key attributes of the rest of Nissan’s range, we think it sits a little uneasily alongside a car which can lap the Nurburgring in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds, but hey, let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth.

The deal now being offered by Nissan is a free three year servicing plan, along with three years RAC cover, for the 2011 version GT-R.

The free offer of the servicing plan is included when purchasing a GT-R through Nissan’s own personal contract plan (PCP) known as Preferences. However if you choose to finance your car any other way, or indeed you already have a 2011 GT-R, then the servicing plan can be purchased for a one-off payment of just £499.

Nissan’s new servicing plan applies only to the 2011 version of the GT-R and covers a three year period or up to the equivalent mileage of 27,000. All labour, parts, oils and fluids required to carry out the routine maintenance, by a Nissan High Performance Centre, are fully covered by the policy.

All Nissan High Performance Centres (NHPC) are specially trained and equipped to look after the Nissan sports car range and are sole suppliers of the GT-R, so with 19 of them located across the UK you’ll not have too far to travel.

This offer is for a limited period of time and further details can be obtained from any of the NHPCs.

The first news is the introduction of Nissan’s GT-R and 370Z to Silverstone’s line-up of Driving Experiences – joining the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari 360 F1 Modena, Lotus Exige, Formula Silverstone Single-Seater and Ford Fiesta ST Group N Rally Car.

The GT-R lives up to all the hype on real roads – it really is a performance benchmark in so many ways, but where you’ll really begin to comprehend the GT-R’s talents is on the track and Silverstone’s wide-open corners are the perfect playground. Silverstone’s new GT-R Thrill Experience gives you 20 minutes in-car briefing on circuit from a fully qualified instructor, 3 laps or equivalent (5.7 miles approx.) in a Nissan GT-R and then a 10 minute debrief, all for £85 per person.

But the real bonus this Christmas period is the festively priced £99 Christmas Super Choice Voucher – reduced from £140 for the holiday season with the icing on the cake being that anyone purchasing a £99 Christmas Super Choice Voucher will also receive a complimentary ticket to a Silverstone event. And there’s a pretty decent range of events to choose from including; Silverstone Supercar featuring the FIA GT1 World Championship, British F3/GT Championships, British Touring Car Championship, British Superbike Championship and Walter Hayes Trophy.

The offer runs until 31 December 2010 with the usual product specific terms and conditions applying. Vouchers cannot be redeemed until 4th January 2011 and are valid until 31st March 2011.

To view the full range of Silverstone Driving Experiences available – visit www.silverstone.co.uk and book online.

Nissan will supply four cars to SRO per event, with one of Nissan’s high performance cars (370Z or GT-R) becoming the Official Safety Car at each event.

Having been awarded full world championship status by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, the FIA GT1 World Championship will visit 10 countries on four continents, and will feature iconic marques such as Aston Martin, Corvette, Ford, Lamborghini, Maserati and Nissan.

The 2010 Championship starts at the futuristic Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on April 17 and ends at the spectacular circuit built around a volcanic lake in San Luis circuit in Argentina on December 5.

The series features two, two-car Nissan GT-R teams, Sumo Power, run out of the UK and Swiss Racing Team from Switzerland. It marks Nissan’s first move into an official FIA World Championship in more than 20 years.

Stephane Ratel, CEO of SRO Motorsports Group (SRO) said: “From the very first time we discussed the proposals for a GT1 World Championship, Nissan was right behind the idea and has been a very enthusiastic supporter ever since. We are therefore extremely pleased that we have reached this agreement, which will give Nissan a great global platform to showcase their range of cars alongside the full GT1 spec racing GT-R’s. The Nissan GT-R is an iconic car all over the world and we are thrilled to see it competing at world championship level.”

Soichi Miyatani, NISMO President and Nissan CVP adds: “At Nissan the idea of the FIA GT1 World Championship is a very exciting one, seeing the GT-R on track in competition with these other world famous brands will be spectacular. With the strong global Television exposure in place we are sure that this agreement will be a key to us further enhancing the reputation and stature of Nissan’s high-performance cars. It also gives us added exposure away from the on-track action as we look to reinforce the Nissan brand within this core car-loving audience on a global basis.”

Best of luck to Nissan during 2010 – the GT-R will gain plenty of visibility for the car maker in the series even if it doesn’t win..

Don’t forget to enter our competition to win tickets to the FIA GT1 event at Silverstone on 1-2 May, 2010. Entries close on 19th April.

The FIA GT1 version of the GT-R is a development of the car that was raced four times last year by the Gigawave team, however to comply with the GT1 class regulations a naturally aspirated V8 engine replaces the road-cars’ twin-turbocharged straight six, displacing just over 5.5 litres and breathing through two mandatory restrictors the new engine is expected to produce 600bhp and over 650 Nm of torque.

The GT-R’s advanced all-wheel drive system has also had to make way for a more conventional rear-wheel drive transmission using a sequential 6-speed gearbox is mounted with the rear differential for optimal weight balance.

Further details about NISMO’s plans for the FIA GT1 championship including its full driver line-up will be announced at the later date.