Nissan initially marketed its vehicles under the Datsun brand, with the first Datsuns being built-in 1934. Postwar, the brand made its presence felt worldwide, building a partnership with the U.K.-based Austin Motor Co. and establishing a presence in the United States. The first Datsuns hit American shores in 1958. Vehicles like the Datsun 1000 were based on Austin platforms.
The '60s witnessed Nissan's merger with Prince Motor Company, a union that helped the Asian manufacturer create more luxury-focused vehicles. In the U.S. it began offering its first vehicle styled for the U.S. market, the Datsun 510 sedan. By the end of the decade, Datsun had exported more than 1 million vehicles. Datsun rose to prominence in the 1970s on the popularity of its 240Z sports car. Powered by an inline six-cylinder engine, the car was coveted for its blend of style, performance and affordability. By the time the '70s drew to a close, the automaker's cumulative vehicle exports had surpassed the 10 million mark.
In 1981, Nissan shelved the Datsun name and began selling vehicles worldwide under the Nissan moniker. The '80s also saw Nissan's launch of a tuning division called Nismo for the development of performance-oriented vehicles and accessories. Nissan also brought its production to American shores, with the construction of a Georgia-based plant. The early '90s saw Nissan's fortunes rise in the U.S. thanks to fun-to-drive cars like the 300ZX, Maxima and Sentra. But this trend didn't last long and by the late '90s Nissan's offerings consisted of anonymous vehicles. The company's future was uncertain.
After the turn of the new century Nissan bounced back, helped by a 1999 alliance with Renault that boosted the company's finances. Its redesigned Sentra and Altima boosted sales and consumer interest, as did new models like the 350Z sports car, Armada SUV and Titan pickup. Today the manufacturer is known for offering a wide range of well-regarded vehicles, including the popular Murano SUV, the incredible GT-R supercar and the all-electric Leaf. Nissan has a lot riding on the success of the Murano . That’s not an easy position to be, seeing as the Murano is considered as the halo vehicle for the company’s range of crossovers and SUVs, but also has such a polarizing look. So it figures that Nissan is using the New York International Auto Show as the event to introduce to the auto world the new 2015 Murano.
Far more than just a debut of the vehicle, the Murano’s attendance in New York will also serve as a showcase for the automaker to introduce its new design language, one that will be used on future production vehicles. Big stakes involved here for Nissan, if people haven’t already noticed. As far as the 2015 Murano is concerned, the SUV’s new look isn't the only thing that’s worth paying attention to. Far from it, actually. A spacious premium interior is also being offered, as are a host of new safety and connective technology features.
The previous-generation Murano wasn't exactly a beauty-contest winner, so the fact that Nissan put a more down-to-earth styling into the 2015 model is more than welcomed. The new SUV is obviously inspired by the Resonance concept, sporting similar V-Motion front grille and boomerang-shaped headlamps and tail lights. On the other hand, the apron is taller now and the hood slopes toward the grille at a smaller angle, making the vehicle bulkier than the concept.
The same can be noticed around the back, where the diffuser-like section seen on the concept vehicle has been skipped, although the distinct, deep-sculpted lines are still in place. Overall, the new design is not overly spectacular, but the 2015 Murano is a massive improvement over the model it replaces.
2015 Nissan Murano - Exterior Specifications
| Wheelbase | 111.2 inches |
|---|---|
| Length | 192.4 inches |
| Width | 75.4 inches |
| Height | 66.5 inches |
| Tread Width | 64.6 inches |
| Min. ground clearance | 6.9 inches |
| Angle of Approach | 13.8 degrees |
| Angle of Departure | 15.8 degrees |
| Breakover Angle | 24.4 degrees |
| Coefficient of drag | 0.31 |
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