In last week’s installment of the Juke-R build video, we learned that the wheelbase of the Juke is some 250 mm shorter than the wheelbase of the GT-R, which required the fabrication of custom prop shafts.
Since we’re focused on the Juke-R’s interior this week, a shorter wheelbase also means that the inside isn’t plug-and-play, either.
The Juke is taller, with a different seating position than the GT-R, so getting the best compromise of comfort and functionality, even with aftermarket racing seats, took some serious effort. The emphasis that RML placed on driving position leads us to believe that the Juke-R will actually see a fair amount of track time, and that’s a good thing.
Once the driver’s space was figured out, the pedals positioned and the switchgear placed in comfortable reach, finishing the interior was as simple as making the GTR’s instruments, controls and wiring harness work in a Juke dashboard. Which is to say that it wasn’t simple at all.
Next week we get to see how Nissan styled the Juke-R’s body, and how much work was required to turn the Juke-R from a gutted shell into a road-going uber-crossover.