(continued from above)
Making its world debut at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Murano
CrossCabriolet is scheduled to go on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide in early
2011.
"When people think of a crossover, they think of a combination of
the driving sophistication of a sedan with the utility of a sport utility. This
new Murano CrossCabriolet adds an unexpected third element, the ability to make
everyday activities more exciting with open air driving," said Al Castignetti,
vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North America, Inc.
"However, with its extraordinarily engineered convertible top, standard
all-wheel drive and room for four adults plus cargo, the CrossCabriolet is not
just for cruising South Beach or Malibu. It's a vehicle to take to lunch,
running errands or on a long ski weekend in any part of the country."
Murano CrossCabriolet Design Concept
The impetus behind innovation is
often as simple as asking questions not posed before, such as how do you
overcome the functional limitations of a convertible? The all-new Murano
CrossCabriolet overcomes any obstacles and combines elegant design and
state-of-the-art engineering. One of the priorities in the convertible top
design was the retention of the traditional Murano silhouette with the top up,
and a luxurious, sophisticated appearance with the top down.
The
transformation of the Murano body from Crossover to CrossCabriolet and from
4-door to 2-door meant more than just removing the top. Along with creating new
front doors (7.9 inches longer than 4-door Murano front doors) and eliminating
the B-pillars, the structure has been reinforced from the A-pillar rearward. The
cloth convertible top also includes a rear glass skylight, helping create a
wide-open interior environment even with the top in the closed position. Dual
Pop-up Roll Bars are also standard. The coefficient of drag remains close to
that of the hardtop Murano, just 0.39 Cd versus 0.37 Cd.
One of the keys
to the CrossCabriolet's design's success is the convertible top's exceptionally
compact size when stowed, which allows both additional interior and cargo volume
(normally taken up by a traditional convertible stowage design). The
hydraulically operated top mechanism includes an automatic power latch/unlatch
system. Operation switches are located on the center console and driver's door
handle. With the top down, the stowed size is similar to that of a conventional
2-seat roadster. Trunk capacity with the top down is 7.6 cubic feet, enough to
fit two sets of golf clubs or two carry-on suitcases. With the top closed, cargo
capacity expands to 12.3 cubic feet.
Along with the unique convertible
top appearance, the Murano CrossCabriolet exterior also includes High Intensity
Discharge (HID) bi-functional xenon projector headlights with auto on/off
function, front fog lights and Nissan 370Z-inspired LED taillights.
Other
features include body-colored front and rear bumpers, chrome door handles,
body-colored dual power/heated outside mirrors, and rear window defroster with
timer. Along with convertible style, the CrossCabriolet offers the high ground
clearance of a Murano for easy ingress and egress and enhanced driver
visibility.
Six exterior colors are available: unique Murano
CrossCabriolet colors Sunset Bronze and Caribbean, plus Merlot, Platinum
Graphite, Super Black and Pearl White.
Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet: Review (2/2)
