Fox Marketing Nissan Juke

Fox Marketing Nissan Juke

Despite its questionable corporate beginnings, the Juke R turned into one of the true stars of 2011.

It's hard not to be intrigued by the idea of a GT-R powered small crossover, and according to Nissan's most recent count, some 2.2 million people tuned into YouTube for the 10-part video series on the one-off Juke R concept.

Unfortunately for the fraction of those 2.2 million people that might actually buy a Juke R, Nissan has made it quite clear from the very beginning: The Juke R is not going to be manufactured for sale.

All those people that are drooling over the idea of a super-Juke that can hit 62 mph in 3.7 seconds will need to be content dreaming and re-watching the videos over and over again. Or they'll just have to wait a couple of weeks for tuners to start playing copycat. 

It doesn't take much of an analyst to figure out that tuning shops around the world were eyeing the Juke R hungrily thinking about how they could recreate the magic. The first such tuner has stepped up and offered its own plan.

Fox Marketing Nissan Juke

Fox Marketing Nissan Juke

Fox Marketing, a firm that specializes in all kinds of marketing, including vehicle builds that showcase equipment and technologies, won't be building a direct knockoff of the Juke R, but it is planning its own tuned Juke with nearly as much power as Nissan's version. The guys at Fox admit that actually fitting a GT-R powertrain would require a seven-figure budget--the type of budget that a multi-billion global automaker might have but a small marketing shop doesn't.

So instead of attempting to mimic the Juke R, Fox is going the more traditional tuning route in adding a big turbo and intercooling to the Juke's 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. That upgrade should be enough to massage 400 horses out of the Juke.

Fox will also add an aerodynamic body kit, upgraded brakes with 14-inch six-piston calipers and 20-inch wheels. Inside, it plans to add Yonaka Ronin racing seats, among other upgrades.

Fox will debut its Juke later this year. The model is a sort of birthday present to itself in recognition of its 12th anniversary of designing custom cars.

Don't be surprised if this is just one of many Juke tunes appearing in the next few months.