Modified | Custom

The Nissan Juke has been on the market for quite a while now and, honestly, we’re still not quite sure what to make of it. The tiny turbocharged engine and optional AWD definitely push the right buttons, but the zany styling and tall crossover stance give us pause. And no aspiring Sports Illustrated swimsuit model contest tie-ins would help us see past that. (Okay, maybe if Kathy Leutner asked us really, really nicely to reconsider our position…)

But what if the Juke had a lower ride height and about, oh, two-and-three-quarter times its stock 188hp? That would certainly distract us from the polarizing, looks-like-Pikachu’s-crazy-uncle styling, and the lower ride height would certainly help the cornering abilities. Thankfully, the Nissan Technology Centre for Europe and veteran motorsports firm Ray Mallock Limited (RML for short) are making this crazy idea a reality by marrying the Juke’s skeleton with the heart and muscles of Nissan’s other turbocharged, AWD model, the GT-R.

About a decade-and-a-half before the Baja 1000 was born, the epic Mexican motor racing adventure du jour was La Carrera Panamericana. Inaugurated in 1950 to celebrate the completion of (and contested along the Mexican leg of) the Panamerican Highway, this long, harrowing, juggling-chainsaws-while-sh*tfaced dangerous race attracted an eclectic mix of drivers and cars from the U.S. and Europe in each of its five runnings. The 1953 and ’54 events were rounds of the World Sportscar Championship, which brought the factory teams from the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz into the fray.

Not surprisingly, most of the works team cars that competed in the race back in the day were made in microscopic numbers and specifically designed to handle the rigors of the Carrera Panamericana. One such vehicle was the aptly named Ferrari 340 Mexico of 1952. Just three of those stylish coupes were constructed. Well, soon there will be a fourth. Sort of. Huh?

The current Ford Mustang is arguably the best one yet. Whether you’re most excited about the powerful-but-efficient engines, the 6-speed transmissions, the nicely-sorted handling, the slick styling or the dizzying array of options and accessories, there’s a lot to like about Ford’s perennially popular pony car. But some folks do want more: More power. More style. More exclusivity.

For these folks, there’s no shortage of tuning firms who can take the Mustang to the next level. One such aftermarket tuner is Roush Performance, the road car upgrading outfit owned by NASCAR team co-owner Jack Roush. Now Roush Performance has been tuning Mustangs and other Ford products for years, but its latest package for the Mustang is a cut above the rest.