Nissan took the wraps off it latest version of the Nissan Murano SUV at the New York International Auto Show in New York on Wednesday.
On hand to introduce the vehicle to the American public was Nissan's senior vice president and chief creative officer, Shiro Nakamura.
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According Nissan, the slightly futuristic design aesthetic of the 2015 Murano is inspired by the Nissan Resonance concept vehicle unveiled back in 2013.
"At Nissan, we create concept vehicles with an eye toward production, rather than just for entertaining auto show audiences," says Nakamura. "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.”
Nevertheless, fans of the old version of the Murano aren't necessarily in for any major culture shock, as the vehicle's new accents are really only a slight departure from its predecessor.
The new Murano's most noticeable nod to the Resonance concept is at the rear, where the rectangular exhaust and extending curved tail lights definitely give the normally conservative looking vehicle a bit of design whimsy. The front of the vehicle, particularly the headlight design, also mirrors the aggressive lines present in the Resonance concept.
And, in case you aren't getting the "futuristic" message, Nissan also claims that the new Murano's "zero gravity" seats, which include embedded USB ports, are directly inspired by NASA. The vehicle also features safety system also offers predictive forward collision warnings, cross-traffic alerts and an around view monitor.
Another option available in the 2015 Murano is NissanConnect, the carmaker's navigation and app system, which allows the driver to connect his or her mobile devices to the car.
The 2015 Murano is slated to go on sale in late 2014.
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