ALL-NEW NISSAN MURANO

I Love Nissan and Infiniti vehicles. The  newest Murano stands out from ordinary crossovers with its refined yet daring and futuristic design, the new third-generation Murano kicks it up many notches with its concept car-like styling, premium interior and advanced, purposeful technology.

"At Nissan, we create concept vehicles with an eye toward production, rather than just for entertaining auto show audiences," said Andy Palmer, chief planning officer and executive vice president, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. "Likely few people who saw Resonance in its North American International Auto Show debut imagined that we could build such a futuristic design. But here it is, ready to hit Nissan showrooms less than 24 months later."

The latest Murano also expresses a new Nissan design direction – including its V-motion front end, LED boomerang lights and the unique "floating" roof.

The breakthrough exterior design carries into the interior, which offers an engaging social lounge feel through features such as the refined lower-height instrument panel, wide center console, advanced NASA-inspired Zero Gravity front and outboard rear seating, and the airy atmosphere created by the large windows and oversized Power Panoramic Moonroof.

All-new Murano arrives in Nissan showrooms in late 2014

The first-generation Nissan Murano had a profound impact on the SUV market when it was introduced for the 2003 model year. In addition to being one of the first crossovers on the market, it offered a fresh design sensibility that combined an elegant style with premium features – without a luxury price tag. Murano quickly attracted a loyal, enthusiastic owner base and remained a "class of one" as other manufacturers scrambled to catch up.

The second-generation Murano, introduced for model year 2009, maintained its strong position as the halo vehicle for Nissan crossovers – even as new Nissan SUVs like the bold JUKE sports crossover, all-new unibody Pathfinder and compact Rogue joined the product portfolio.

"One of the central constructs for both the exterior and interior of the new Murano was to 'elevate your experience,' which is counterintuitive to the heaviness and chunkiness of the traditional sport utility vehicle," said Nakamura. "This helped inspire the push for leading-edge aerodynamic and three key elements of our future designs – the V-Motion front end, signature lighting and the 'floating' roofline."

In keeping with the idea of futuristic travel, the designers sought to create a gravity-like power to pull viewers into the design visually, while defying gravity with a lightness of form through the use of glass and flowing lines. The prominent glass areas of the first-generation Murano were retained and expanded with the new design, including the use of its jet-inspired roof and D-pillars that appear disconnected from the roof that help visually lighten the cabin. The result is a unique floating feeling that can be recognized from very far away.

Another key element is the continued refinement of the boomerang-style headlights and taillights, which were originally introduced on the Nissan 370Z. For use with the new Murano, the shapes were slimmed and pushed to extremes to look like they flow with the wind. "The lights' LED Daytime Running Light accents are instantly recognizable at night. While becoming a Murano signature, they were an engineering challenge," explained Nakamura.

The available LED headlights, while providing excellent efficiency and durability (versus halogen and xenon lights), required extensive tuning to refine the shape and light intensity. The design of the standard LED taillights had to be balanced with the required crossover utility, with the final shape seamlessly integrated into the rear glass, conveying a high-tech quality.

Available technology features include NissanConnectSM with Navigation and Mobile Apps, 8-inch color display with multi-touch control, 11-speaker Bose® premium audio system, and Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System.

Responsive driving is provided by a standard 3.5-liter DOHC V6 connected to an advanced Xtronic transmission. Murano is available in front-wheel drive or Intuitive All-Wheel Drive.

Available safety and security systems include Moving Object Detection (MOD), Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Predictive Forward Collision Warning (PFCW) and Forward Emergency Braking. The new Cross Traffic Alert (CTA) system utilizes radar to detect a moving vehicle behind the Murano approaching from either side of the parking space.

The 2015 Nissan Murano will be offered in four grade levels when it goes on sale in late 2014: S, SV, SL and Platinum. Each is available in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

BRUCE HUBBARD

AUTO ADVISOR GROUP