Special Coverage
Geneva
Auto Show
GENEVA – Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. shows off its second-generation ’09 Nissan Murano cross/utility vehicle and says it will bring the GTR super sports car to Europe for the first time next March.
The GTR, with its 3.8L V-6 delivering 480 hp and a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 3.6 seconds, will be priced at E75,000 ($114,187). As with the smaller 350Z, the strategy is to offer great performance at a much lower price than its competitors.
Nissan Executive Vice President Carlos Taveras shows off the second-generation Pivo2 electric concept car, almost as a counterpoint to the sports car. “Our goal is zero-emissions transportation,” he says.
The futuristic minicar, first unveiled at the Tokyo auto show in October, measures 102.0 ins. (259.1 cm) long and 66.0 ins. (167.6 cm) high.
Nissan will introduce a limited number of electric cars in 2010, and in 2012 will have a global electric vehicle to be sold around the world. The electric-car platform is shared with alliance partner Renault SA, which has similar timing for an electric car designed from the ground up.
Murano deliveries have been exceeding expectation, says Tavaras, noting the CUV is selling 50% more units in the U.S. than called for in its business plan.
The ’09 model goes on sale Jan. 4 at U.S. dealerships. The auto maker says it anticipates sales in the range of 70,000 to 80,000 units.
Tavaras says Nissan in the current fiscal year, ending March 31, will have sold 3.7 million vehicles, up 8% compared with year-ago. Russia has been an especially big growth market.
