Is Renault planning a French remake of the Japanese Juke?

Thanks to Renault’s alliance with Nissan, the Juke might get a French remake if rumours around the web are true. As Renault axed the slow-selling Koleos CUV last year, the French carmaker is looking to appeal to a new set of customers akin to what Nissan has done with the Juke.

According to rendered images by a U.K. website, the car seems to have taken styling from the Captur concept showcased during last year’s Geneva Motor Show. It is an attractive car nonetheless, with the typical chunkiness of a crossover, mixed with the Captur’s curvy lines. At the front, the iconic Renault diamond can be found at the central of the wide grille.

Like the Juke, the new Renault model will be available in either front or four-wheel drive. The powertrain is expected to be shared with its Japanese sibling, including the range-topping 1.6-litre turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre turbo diesel.

The Juke’s non-identical twin is one of three Renault SUVs in the works. The company is also planning a new mid-sized model, based on the next generation Qashqai, and an even larger car based on the yet to be released X-Trail replacement, teased at the recent Geneva Motor Show as the Hi-Cross concept.

Besides Renault, Peugeot is developing a 208-based SUV, to be named 2008.  On the other hand, the A1 based Q1, Audi’s smallest crossover ever and an A-Class based 4x4 from Mercedes are in the works respectively. Land Rover and Lexus too have hinted at similar plans for smaller SUVs.

So, we have one British, two Japanese, two Germans and three French automakers manufacturing almost a similar product to the Juke. That is a shootout I would like the trio at Top Gear UK to conduct.