Nissan Unveils New Performance Lineup At 2013 Chicago Auto Show

Nissan pulled out all the stops at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show taking place this week. The company unveiled two new NISMO vehicles and new commercial vehicle, one of which is a new 2014 370Z, the other a 2014 Juke crossover vehicle, and lastly a NV200 cargo van. Nissan's NISMO cars are the company's definition of "cutting-edge performance, technology, and aerodynamics."

The 2014 370Z NISMO comes with a handful of new exterior and interior enhancements that offer an improvement over the 2013 model. However, they're mostly cosmetic changes that include a new front spoiler, rocker panel extensions, rear bumper, side mirrors, and rear wing, with red pinstriping to finish off the details. The car will have the same 350-horsepower 3.7-liter DOHC V6 engine when it goes on sale this summer.

The Juke has to be one of Nissan's strangest-looking vehicles to date, but the company gave the crossover vehicle NISMO status at the Chicago Auto Show. The new vehicle features a modest performance upgrade, going from 188 horsepower at 5600 rpm to 197 horsepower at 6000 rpm, but it's still sticking with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine block. The Juke NISMO does features some nice-looking exterior changes, though, including red pinstriping and black wheels to give it a meaner look. No pricing or availability details were announced.

Finally, there's the NV200, which most of us may not be interested in, unless you need haul some cargo. The NV200 is Nissan's latest commercial cargo van. The new vehicle touts tall rear doors, a low load floor, and a 1,500-pound payload capacity. It's front wheel drive and it has a 131-horsepower 2-liter four-cylinder engine, which is rated to get around 24 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, which isn't too shabby for cargo van. The NV200 will start at just under $20,000 and will be available starting in April.