Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announces the release of the all-new, second-generation Nissan Murano crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV), which goes on sale today at Nissan dealers nationwide.

The new Murano will be marketed under the tagline of "SHIFT_design," reflecting its leadership in both contemporary styling and as a crossover SUV that combines utility and sedan-like comfort and luxury.

The first-generation Murano debuted in North America in 2002 and won resounding accolades for its novel design and sporty driving performance. It went on sale in Japan in September 2004 and received similar strong media and consumer acceptance. The dramatic new Murano, which launched in January in the United States, will be available in approximately 170 countries worldwide.

Nissan Murano 350XV FOUR (2009)
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An All-New Second-Generation Murano

The new Murano carries over a strong sense of "Murano-ness" from the previous design as part of a "super evolution" of its premium crossover SUV positioning - including a distinctive new exterior, an enhanced sense of sporty and reassuring driving performance, a quieter and more comfortable interior with greater levels of luxury features and enhanced technology.

The concept behind the creation of the new Murano includes: * Modern Art Design: A distinctive exterior and high-quality interior * Premium Driving Feel: A perfect balance of comfort and sportiness, which enables responsive handling in any driving situation * Suite-like Interior: A roomy, luxurious cabin with an array of user-focused comfort and convenience features

Dynamic Exterior Design

The new Murano features a dynamic body design that is highlighted by its elegant flowing surfaces and curves. The graceful silhouette stretches like one seamless motion from the aggressive front bumper to the rear bumper. In front, quad-cylinder style High Intensity Discharge (HID) bi-functional headlights are integrated with the wide front signature Murano grille. Three-dimensional concave surface body sides provide a beautiful contrast with the sculpted fenders, while the unique window silhouette - with the rear edge heading upward - provides another example of the new generation design's "Murano-ness."

Seven exterior colors are available, including the addition of Grayish Bronze and Dark Blue, an all-new Nissan color. All colors come standard with Nissan's Scratch Shield Paint, which self-repairs minor scratch marks in the paint surface.

A Stylish, Modern Interior With Abundant Convenience Features

Murano's modern curvaceous exterior design theme continues into the beautifully crafted interior. The unique, asymmetrically designed cockpit offers a rugby-ball-like shape, which is like no other vehicle in class. The new "three-dimensional beauty" instrument panel features large Fine Vision meters with improved legibility (versus the previous generation), along with new ring lighting.

The stylish center cluster utilizes genuine aluminum and chrome trim, while the center console combines a substantial look with soft touch materials for a luxurious impression. The door trim, with stitched armrests, is made of genuine aluminum and soft padding, which is integrated with the instrumental panel to embrace the driver and passenger in style and comfort.

The interior environment, developed from the perspective of providing clean air without irritating the occupants' skin, utilizes a mild-flow air-conditioning system, which directs gentle airflow rearward without striking the passengers directly.

In the rear, the roomy seats provide a welcoming atmosphere with a comfortable seat shape and fabric. The 60/40-split folding automatic rear seat can be folded by pulling levers located at both sides, and reversed by just pushing the automatic recovery button (a factory-installed option).

A foldable cargo organizer enables the luggage area floorboard to be opened at the flip of a switch, with special partition nets holding cargo in place while driving. Murano's remote-controlled automatic back door opens and closes at the touch of a switch, either from the driver's seat or the remote-control key (factory-installed option).

The open interior feeling is enhanced by an available dual-pane moonroof, featuring a power sliding glass roof with inner sunshades over both the front and rear seats (standard on the 350XV FOUR and a 250XV FOUR).

Advanced technology features include an 11-speaker BOSE sound audio system, which delivers concert-hall-like sound quality - reproducing the sounds of musical instruments and singing voices with real, three-dimensional quality, as if listening to a live performance (factory-installed option).

The new Murano is also available with an advanced HDD-based CARWINGS navigation system featuring a touch panel screen for greatly improved ease of operation. The system incorporates enhanced entertainment capabilities, including a music box and DVD audio/video playback. It also includes a Bluetooth Hands-free Interface (factory-installed option).

An Intelligent Key System provides improved anti-theft functionality, including electric-assisted power steering lockup, engine immobilizer and other deterrents linked to the ID code stored in the key fob.

In addition, two available systems help the driver's view around the vehicle. The advanced side blind-spot monitor helps provides visual assistance by reducing the left front blind spot when positioning the car alongside the curb, parking or meeting oncoming traffic on a narrow road. The back-view monitor utilizes a small CCD camera to offer a color view of the area behind the car, which is displayed on Murano's navigation system monitor.

A Responsive Engine, Transmission and Chassis

Like the original, the heart of the new Murano is its advanced engine, transmission and chassis combination, which is anchored by Nissan's proven QR25DE 4-cylinder and VQ35DE V6 engines, paired with Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) and rigid D-platform. The QR25DE engine achieves improved output and fuel-efficiency through reduced friction. Torque and output are also enhanced throughout a wide speed range by enlarging the radius of intake and exhaust ports and an increased compression ratio.

Murano's Xtronic CVT includes a new Adaptive Shift Control (ASC), which controls the shift timing according to the driver's personal driving style and the driving environment in order to optimize both performance and fuel economy.

With Murano's advanced ALL MODE 4×4-i all-wheel drive system, smooth cornering on slippery road surfaces is provided by monitoring wheel spin and adjusting front/rear torque split accordingly.

The Nissan D-platform helps optimize the balance between a flat, comfortable ride and the quiet, superb handling and stability of a premium class sedan. High rigidity is achieved by adopting a new joint member structure and strengthening the link between the front shock absorbers, along with enlarging the rear joint member, strengthening the link between shock absorbers and adding a rear cross member.

Murano's newly developed suspension with four-wheel built-in rebound springs enhances vehicle stability while also providing a more comfortable ride than the previous generation design. Front and rear link geometry has been revised and rigidity of the setting points is improved. This reduces the amount of vibration transmitted to the interior and improves body stability. Special sound-absorbing materials have been added throughout the body, effectively reducing or blocking outside noises. New floor carpeting with improved sound absorption effect reduces the noise from the below the vehicle, along with deflectors located under body, which decrease under-floor wind noise. Additional quietness at high speeds is improved by optimizing the design and positioning of the rear muffler.

Improved collision safety features and reduced weight are realized by adopting a greater amount of ultra-high tensile steel (780MPa grade) and through multiple load path construction. This further evolution of Nissan's high-strength Zone Body achieves both enhanced crashworthiness and weight savings.

Standard vehicle-speed-sensitive power steering system offers light steering effort at low speed and a direct steering feel at middle-to-high speeds.

Safety and Environmental Technologies

The new Murano offers a long list of standard and available safety features, including: * Bi-xenon headlights * Halogen fog lights integrated into the front bumper*1 * Rain-sensing step-less intermittent windshield wiper (flat-blade type) * High-intensity LED rear combination lamps * ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) * VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) * Brake LSD (Limited-Slip Differential) * Low-friction seatbelts in all seating positions * Three-point ELR rear seatbelts for three passengers * High-strength Zone Body construction for high safety * Impact-energy-absorbing body structure for mitigating pedestrian injuries * SRS air bag systems for the driver and front passenger * SRS side air bag systems for the driver and front passenger * SRS curtain air bag systems * Front-seat Active Head Restraints

Murano is also designed with an awareness and sensitivity toward the environment. For example: * VQ35DE and QR25DE engine models (vehicle weight less than 1,770 kg) achieve fuel economy that is 5% higher than Japan's 2010 fuel economy standards. * QR25DE engine models (vehicle weight 1,770 kg and above) achieve fuel economy 20% higher than Japan's 2010 fuel economy standards. * U-LEV certification is achieved for all models by emitting 50% fewer exhaust emissions than Japan's 2005 exhaust emission standards. * A fuel economy indicator is included with all new Muranos. * Achieves a recyclability rate of more than 95% by weight*2 * A reduction of interior volatile organic compounds (VOC).

Sales target: 900 units/month Price range: 3,150,000 yen to 4,042,500 yen, including consumption tax Sales launch events: October 4 (Sat.) - 5 (Sun.), 11(Sat.) - 13 (Mon.), 2008

*1: Standard on the 350XV FOUR and the 250XV FOUR and a factory-installed option on the 350XL FOUR and the 250XL FOUR)

*2: Calculated according to the guideline adopted by Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. in 1998 concerning the definition and calculation method of the recyclability rate of new cars)