LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW
The 2009 Murano sports all-new exterior
Nissan’s new crossover arrives in January
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Rick Kranz
Automotive News
November 15, 2007 - 3:22 pm ET CLICK BELOW FOR MORE:
>> Los Angeles Auto Show coverage
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LOS ANGELES -- The world debut of the redesigned 2009 Nissan Murano was all but forgotten once the high-performance Nissan GT-R coupe hit the stage.
The GT-R’s North American debut followed the Murano’s introduction Wednesday at the Los Angeles auto show.
Even though hundreds of photographs of the GTR are available in magazines and online, probably a thousand cameras clicked away as photographers maneuvered for the best position to snap Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in front of the 473-hp GT-R.
Occasionally, you could hear Ghosn’s words repeated in the crowd, “zero-to-60 in 3.5 seconds,” and “190 top speed.”
As Ghosn departed,enthusiasts surrounded the GT-R, pushing and shoving to get a close look at the new car.
Back on the stage, behind the GT-R, what seemed to be a mere handful of people took the time to see Nissan’s newest crossover, the 2009 Murano.
Earlier, Ghosn had called the second-generation Murano “as revolutionary as the original, in its design, sophistication, refinement.”
The Murano’s all-new exterior design is an evolutionary interpretation of the successful first-generation crossover, which debuted in 2003. The front-end styling is highlighted by the wide, narrow headlight modules. The interior was redesigned to stress warmth and luxury.
The redesigned Murano was developed on Nissan’s front-drive D vehicle platform, which was introduced on the 2007 Altima. Increased body torsional stiffness enhances handling and ride comfort, Nissan says.
The standard engine is the re-engineered 265-hp, 3.5-liter V-6, producing 248 pounds-feet of torque. That is mated to a second-generation continuously variable transmission.
Standard safety equipment includes six airbags and stability control. All-wheel drive is optional.
The new Murano goes on sale in January.
Nissan sold 68,183 Muranos in the United States through October, down 1.1 percent from the same period a year ago. In 2006, Murano sales finished at 81,362 units, up 9.3 percent over 2005, according to the Automotive News Data Center.
2009 Nissan Murano crossover [GTR - 473HP?]
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