A YEAR since the start of sales of the latest generation model – and a decade from when it set the bar for compact crossovers through a distinctive design and emphasis on fun – the Nissan Juke is still enjoyed for its customisable styling and expressive personality.
When the new Juke was launched in the UK in October 2019, sales of versions with the two-tone colour option were forecast to be around one in five, or 20 per cent.
Since its launch, demand has been much higher than expected and Jukes with two-tone bodies now account for one in four (25 per cent) of sales, highlighting the appeal of Juke’s personalisation options.
The Juke offers 15 two-tone colour combinations with customers able to choose their favourite shade for the roof, shark fin antenna, front and rear bumper finishers and more. All bringing the bold personality of the Juke to life.
The Juke has been made at Nissan’s Sunderland plant since 2010, but the design of the model has also been firmly rooted in the UK, from the team working at Nissan’s European design studio in Paddington, London.
The team behind two-tone paint
The task of developing the comprehensive range of body colours fell to Nissan’s colour design studio at Nissan Design Europe (NDE) London, while the Nissan Sunderland plant handled the precision painting process.
The team at NDE, led by Lesley Busby, Colour Manager, NDE, identified the colours and developed two-tone combinations that would make up the Juke’s full colour palette. Clare Errington, Paint Shop Manager at Nissan Sunderland, was responsible for ensuring the colours would be accurately reproduced and applied to the Juke at the factory.
Lesley, Clare and their respective teams worked for over a year before the first customer car was painted with a rigorous trial process to ensure the accuracy of the colour.
A hi-tech art form
Working in measurements of less than a hair’s width, microscopic precision is key to success as Nissan elevates the vehicle painting process into an art form.
There are clear specifications for how the colour should appear on the car, how much paint should be applied, and the quality of the paint required.
To guarantee a flawless finish every time, a rigorous cleaning regime is required. The tiniest specks of dust must be removed carefully to ensure the paint can be applied on perfect surface. Paint shop operators also wear lint-free clothing to avoid contaminating the environment and special lighting is used to allow highly trained inspectors to identify and remove any imperfections before they complete the process.
Clare Errington commented: “We have to adapt to meet the changing customer demands. We are guided by our customers on where we need to go, how good we need to be and how to deliver on those expectations. The production line is a marriage between robots and humans who work in harmony to go above and beyond for our customers.
”The end result is the perfect combination of technological precision and craftsmanship in order to produce a stunning and distinctive Juke that reflects our customers’ tastes.”
The body of each two-tone Juke receives a comprehensive series of treatments. From the electrocoat primer and careful dipping procedure, to the sealant and underbody paint application, every stage is optimised to deliver the optimal blend of durability and visual appeal.
Using Nissan Sunderland’s four state-of-the-art paint shops installed as part of a £101 million investment for Juke, Nissan’s skilled operators apply several coats of paint to the Juke. The high-tech procedure ensures each vehicle leaves with a lustrous, eye-catching presence to match its bold personality.
Clare continued: “We put our heart and soul into launching new models at Nissan and feel a sense of ownership and loyalty towards the car. We take great pride in our work, especially with a vehicle like the Juke where it is vital to capture its personality through dynamic colours, which are at the heart of its appeal.”
Bold personalisation to meet changing customer demands
Lesley Busby explains: “For the second-generation Juke, we wanted to achieve a more grown-up look and feel. We are confident that the Juke not only champions its own bold style, but now allows the owner to do so too.”
Two-tone tailoring is a colour trend which is seeing a resurgence among car buyers. The dual-tone trend is driven by a need for personalisation, where motorists want to express their own unique style through their vehicles.
To meet customer demand, Nissan developed a distinctive exterior colour palette through months of design, planning and engineering. Nissan now offers 11 body colours, in combination with three roof colours, offering a total of 15 two-tone colours combinations.
All of them are exclusively curated for the Juke, including its signature Fuji Sunset Red.
Customers can easily choose their favourite combination using the Juke online configurator, providing a 360-degree preview of the exterior colour option selected.
“The colour and finish are a key part of a car’s personality and Juke’s 11 body colour options and 15 two-tone combinations mean that there is something that will appeal to every customer,” added Clare.
Lesley concludes: “The Nissan Juke continues to push the boundaries of distinctive and bold design, maintaining the ‘rebel child’ position of the Nissan family through its playful demeanour – a small car but with a big character. The coupling of human craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology means this distinctive personality carries through the whole vehicle.”
