Hats off to Nissan

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Nissan Murano Cross Cabriolet

Almost three years ago, Best Car Japan reported on the Nissan Murano Cross Cabriolet, an extremely rare convertible SUV that raised eyebrows. Nissan's President, Carlos Ghosn, seemed extremely enthusiastic about the prospect. Although most enthusiasts were sceptical about whether the development of such a variant would push through, they have now been proven wrong.

The Murano Cross Cabriolet was finally unveiled at last November's Los Angeles Auto Show, and is now on sale in North America for approximately ¥3.8 million*. Its unorthodox appearance is fetching, and its convertible roof is its most obvious point of departure from the regular Murano. Both North American models are roughly the same size: the base model measures 4823mm x 1882mm x 1702mm, the Cross Cabriolet is 4828mm long, 1892mm wide and 1681mm tall. Only two and four-door variants are available.

In terms of design, apart from the B-Pillars being absent in the Murano's Cross Cabriolet, the Cross Cabriolet's rear combination lamps mimic those of Fairlady Z34's, which further enhances its appeal.

The Cross Cabriolet's main selling point is its collapsible roof, which allows passengers to enjoy open-air drives. Its roof system is furnished by Magna Steyr, which also installed Fairlady Z Roadster's roof - the Cross Cabriolet's 3m2 system is currently the largest used by the company. With the roof closed, the effect is one of sleek sophistication, just like Fairlady Z Roadster. With the roof folded, there are no obstructions other than the windshield and A-Pillars, making for a spacious and open-air drive.

The Cross Cabriolet's VQ35DE engine has 269bhp maximum power and 335Nm maximum torque. Although the 2.5-litre inline-4 Murano that is available in Japan was not used, Nissan compensated by installing the Cross Cabriolet with 4WD, compared to the regular model's 2WD setting.

Unfortunately, Nissan has announced that it does not intend to market the car in Japan.


Infiniti G37 Convertible

Sold as the Nissan Skyline in Japan, the Infiniti G has both sedan and coupe variants - the only difference is that the latter is also available as a convertible. Since 2009, the "G Convertible" has been a constant fixture in the North American market.

Instead of sharing Murano's soft top roof, the G Convertible comes with a three-section metal roof, and like the Murano Cross Cabriolet, it is very attractive even with the roof closed. Despite achieving high power and torque figures of 330bhp and 362Nm respectively, the 3.7-litre V6 G Convertible loses out a tad to the Skyline G Coupe in Japan, whose identical 3.7-litre engine generates a slightly higher 335bhp and 366Nm of torque.

If the G Convertible were imported into Japan, it would be a cause of concern for Lexus, and in particular for Lexus IS 350C, which generates 318bhp and 379Nm of torque. In comparison, the latter comes equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission while the G Convertible comes available with either a six or seven-speed automatic transmission. So it would be interesting to see these two models compete in performance. What's more, in 2010, Infiniti released an Infiniti Perfor­mance Line (IPL) concept of the G Convertible, which could also be imported into Japan.

The 2011 G Convertible retails for US$44,500* (around ¥3.6 million*), while Lexus IS 350C costs US$46,640* (around ¥6.2 million*). Considering importation cost and other expenses, the G Convertible would cost roughly ¥6 million* if it was brought in to Japan. Still, if its performance is as excellent as we predict it is, it will be well worth the investment.

*All prices are based on the Japanese automotive market.