In a surprising move to say the least, Nissan has announced plans to offer a Murano SUV in convertible form. That’s right, convertible, as in drop top, no roof and open air. This move would make the new Murano Convertible the only convertible SUV available, well, outside of the Jeep Wrangler, but that’s more like a small truck.
Insider sources close to the project say the Murano convertible, which is expected to debut in 2011, will be produced in limited numbers at first. It should carry a nice-sized premium over the regular Murano. Retractable hardtops are all the rage nowadays but the Murano will stick with a more traditional soft top to keep weight down and keep fuel economy similar to the Murano’s current 21 mpg combined city/highway rating.
The 265-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) used in the 2009 Murano is expected to remain as will the front or all-wheel drive configurations. With a top of the line Murano coming in at $39,080 including delivery charges, the new convertible model will likely sit at the top of the lineup being a bit more. It should be in dealerships in fall to winter of 2010 as a 2011 model.
This artist’s rendering gives us a good clue to what the Murano rag top will look like.
