Carlos Ghosn, president and CEO, Nissan Motor Co., today unveiled two all-new 2009 Nissan production vehicles – the Nissan Murano crossover and the Nissan GT-R – at a press conference at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show.  

The second-generation Murano, which features new exterior and interior designs, along with enhanced performance, goes on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide beginning in January 2008. 

The Nissan GT-R, which will be available for the first time ever in the United States beginning in June 2008, makes its North American debut at the L.A. Auto Show, following its global introduction at the Tokyo Motor Show last October.

Pricing of the 2009 Nissan GT-R was also announced – $69,850 for the Base model and $71,900 for the Premium model, which adds a standard Bose® audio system, heated seats and side air bags.

Nissan’s 2007 sales are up through October a total of 4.9%, and Nissan has the largest year-over-year gain of the top six U.S. manufacturers in October. 

2009 Nissan Murano
Making its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2009 Murano, elevates its unique position in the marketplace through a “super-evolution” of the original design.  The all-new Murano features new exterior and interior designs, enhanced technology and a new premium driving feel resulting from a new, advanced platform and continued refinement of Murano’s standard 3.5-liter V6 engine and advanced, second-generation Xtronic CVT™.

The most striking visual element of the 2009 Murano is its new body, which imparts a “modern art” feel while still maintaining its distinctive “Murano-ness.”  The new Murano design also includes an available dual panel power sliding glass moonroof and 2nd row skylight.  Inside, the 2009 Murano lives up to its “mobile suite” design theme with new levels of warmth and luxury.

Other available Murano features include a new foldaway cargo organizer, heated front and rear seats, power liftgate, rain-sensing front wipers and RearView Monitor. 

All 2009 Muranos feature a VQ-series 3.5-liter DOHC V6 rated at 265 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque and an advanced Xtronic CVT™ with Adaptive Shift Control (ASC) that provides a sporty and smooth driving experience.  2009 Muranos are available in front-wheel drive or with an advanced all-wheel drive system, and all Muranos come standard with Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with a Traction Control System (TCS) for all-weather confidence.  The 2009 Murano features a new “D” platform, first introduced on the 2007 Altima, which provides a solid foundation and new, lighter suspension components with increased stiffness. 

2009 Nissan GT-R
One of the most anticipated vehicles ever created by Nissan is coming to the U.S. in June 2008 – the 2009 Nissan GT-R.  No longer the unobtainable object of desire on a video game or in the movies, the GT-R will be available on sale for the first time in North American in June 2008.

GT-R is a multi-dimensional performance machine that lives up to the concept of “the ultimate supercar that can be driven by anyone, anytime, anywhere” and achieved a lap time of 7:38 around the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife, one of the fastest times achieved by a production-spec vehicle to date.

Under the hood, the Nissan GT-R features an all-new 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 producing 480 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque (estimated), while meeting ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) standards.  The engine is backed by an all-new, paddle-shifted GR6 sequential 6-speed dual clutch rear transaxle.

The new Nissan GT-R is built on an exclusive all-new Premium Midship platform.  This new platform enables the use of a world’s first independent rear transaxle ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system, which places the transmission, transfer case and final drive at the rear of the vehicle, optimizing weight distribution and maximizing handling capability.  

Suspension is a special multi-link Bilstein DampTronic system, and the braking system is made up of Brembo full-floating drilled rotors, low steel high stiffness brake pads and Brembo mono block six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers.  Tires are nitrogen-filled Bridgestone high-performance run flat or optional Dunlop high-performance all-season tires, on exclusive GT-R 20-inch wheels.

The Nissan GT-R’s functional styling utilizes advanced aerodynamics, evoking the lines of a well-trained athlete.  GT-R’s hybrid body construction combines steel, carbon fiber and die-cast aluminum, and features a low coefficient of drag of 0.27, while achieving high front and rear downforce.

GT-R’s interior balances functionality with a sense of ease and comfort.  It features sculpted performance bucket seats for an optimal driving position, a cockpit-style instrument panel with a large center-mounted tachometer and multi-function display – which includes mechanical and driving information, as well as an on-board driving recorder. 

Total vehicle adjustability is provided by a “set-up switch” located in the center of the instrument panel, enabling the driver to adjust transmission shifts, shock absorbers and the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC-R) in three settings – Normal, Comfort or “R,” for ultimate handling.  Available is a specially designed 11-speaker Bose® sound system, with speakers mounted in rigid aluminum die cast panels, which provides sound quality suitable for a supercar.