First Drive of Nissan’s 2011 Murano CrossCabriolet

Having been invited out to the seaside town of Del Mar in California for the presentation of the new Murano CrossCabriolet, we were intrigued at the chance to take Nissan's polarizing convertible out for a spin. That's right, the Murano convertible. How did things play out in California? Interesting, to say the least.

With the Murano CC, Nissan has gone outside the box to create its own niche. Looks aside, the Murano CC has done what it set out to do: garner interest, spur conversation, expand the model range, and change (not necessarily raise) the bar for mid-size crossovers. For all the ups and downs, read on.

It's a crossover...convertible

Nissan's Murano CC is a two-door convertible crossover that sits at the top of the Murano heap, creating a unique halo vehicle for the brand's crossover segment. While the CC's design is a love-it or hate-it affair, there's no doubt that we can all agree on one aspect: it doesn't come off nearly as badly as those photoshops which alluded to an aftermarket convertible conversion.

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Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet: Live Photos from LA Show Plus Video

We're not sure if you've had enough of the new Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet yet, but either way, if you follow the break, you'll find live photos of the Japanese firm's two-door / SUV / convertible mishmash from the Los Angeles motor show floor, along with the first official video of the model with some B-roll footage. If this strange combo has hit a cord with you, click here to read our detailed analysis of the new Murano which is scheduled to reach U.S. dealership early next year.

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LA Show 2010: Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet Tries to Start a New Crossover Niche

In an attempt to one-up Mercedes' 4-door coupe segment, Nissan has created the mass-market 2-door convertible crossover segment. Unwrapped at the LA Show today, the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, which should appear on lots in early 2011, is a study in being everything to just about everyone.

Nissan says the Murano CossCab resolves the issues surrounding the convertible condition, meaning "everyone loves the convertible experience, no one loves the convertible reality – compromised trunk space, a cramped back seat or none at all, and a lack of flexibility for everyday life."

We shall see, but overall the concept it just about as neat as neat can be: 2 doors (thankfully), a convertible top, AWD, and funkadelic love-me/hate-me styling. It even blends into the Nissan family lineup nicely.

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New Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet: First Official Photo

This just in; We have the first official photograph of Nissan's all-new Murano CrossCabriolet, which has not only lost the standard model's top, but also the rear doors. The four-seater model will have its world premiere at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show later this week and go on sale in the U.S. early next year. For the time being, we don't have much in the way of information on technical specs or prices, but we'll definitely keep you updated if anything new pops up. Follow the jump for a higher resolution picture and the official statement from Nissan.

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Nissan Murano gets New Diesel Engine with 190HP in Europe

The Nissan Murano crossover's appeal to European buyers will be hugely enhanced in September with the addition of a diesel engine to the line-up. The introduction of the diesel version comes just as Nissan's luxury arm Infiniti, announced the European launch of a new V6 turbo diesel co-developed with Renault for the M sedan and FX / EX SUVs.

Oddly enough though, Nissan opted for an enhanced version of its 2.5-liter dCi four-cylinder diesel for the Murano instead of the group's new 3.0-liter V6 that made its way under the hood of the facelifted 2010 Pathfinder and Navara.

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Nissan to Build Murano SUV in Russia from 2011

Nissan has announced plans to build the Murano SUV at its St Petersburg factory in Russia. The start of production is planned for the beginning of 2011 and these models are for the Russian market only and not for export. Since the start of sales in Russia in November 2005, about 9,000 Muranos have been sold in the country.

The Japanese automaker also said that due to the slight recovery of the automotive market and growth in customer demand, it will increase the St Petersburg plant's staff from 850 to 1,450 employees adding a second shift this June

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Nissan Preparing Convertible Version of Murano SUV?

If we are to believe a report from Edmunds Insideline, Nissan is preparing to enhance its Murano crossover line-up with a niche convertible version. Inside sources that are involved with the project -and of course remain anonymous- told Edmunds that the four-door convertible crossover won’t be equipped with a retractable hardtop as the designers preferred to use a more traditional canvas top in order to keep weight down.

The Murano Convertible, which will apparently be equipped with the same 265 HP 3.5-liter V6 engine as the conventional version, is said to arrive in the market during the first quarter of 2010. Assuming Edmund’s sources are accurate, we can expect to see a concept version sometime in 2009.

Photo Illustration: CarScoop , Source: Edmunds