Nissan at the LA Auto Show: Sentra Nismo Concept, Juke RS

Nissan is all about Nismo, that sweet, sweet, NIssan MOtorsports NISMO. Case in point: the GTR Nismo that was at Tokyo. But on a smaller scale, the Nissan Juke Nismo gets some more letters, and it's the return of the fun-to-drive Sentra. At least in concept form -- though, we hope, not for long.

Nissan
The Nissan Juke Nismo RS adds more power and handling capabilities to the already excellent Juke Nismo.

The Juke Nismo RS should tide you over until you save up enough money and patience to hunt down a Juke R.

Over the regular Juke Nismo, which has a "mere" 197 horsepower, the Nismo RS brings power levels up to 215, with 210 lb-ft of torque. A new exhaust also accentuates what we found lacking on the Juke Nismo: an inspiring engine note. The 6-speed manual in the RS is strengthened with lower 1st-to-3rd gears, improving acceleration far beyond the increased engine output. A helical limited-slip differential is standard on all front-drive, manual-equipped variants.

A lower suspension, vented rear brakes, and electric steering tuned in unique and mysterious ways differentiate the Nismo RS over the regular Nismo. Visual wattage, as shown above, is readily apparent. Expect such wattage on the streets around early next year, Nissan says.

Nissan
The Senta Nismo could stir happy memories of the SE-R all over again.

Nissan calls the Sentra Nismo Concept a "performance study." A 240-horsepower Sentra seems mighty fine to us.

The 1.8-liter engine is derived from the Juke Nismo, the latter's 1.6-liter enlarged and incorporating its turbocharger, producing 240 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual and a limited-slip differential are also present and accounted for. RAYS 19-inch wheels over 370Z-derived brakes wrap the corners, while Alacantara and Recaro swathe the soft bits inside.

Pierre Loing, Nissan's Vice President of Product Planning, says that between the 370Z, Juke variants, and the GT-R, there's a strong indicator of where Nismo is going as a brand. We hope the product onslaught also includes the Sentra, and shades of happy SE-R memories.

About the LA Auto Show

The Los Angeles Auto Show has long served as a spotlight for "green" cars, and a popular place to unveil new hybrid and electric vehicles. We'll have photos, video and complete coverage of all the manufacturer reveals and top news from this year's LA Auto Show right here, so check back often.

By Blake Z. Rong