The collector car world consists of a complete variety of vehicles that keeps folks like us entertained. One aspect that adds depth is how the popularity of a car today may transcend its popularity when it was new — witness the 1961 Plymouth as a case in point. Although it’s not in the same vein, we wonder if our Pick of the Day may become a modern example of the hot/cold world of automotive popularity. While some may feel this 2014 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is the answer to a question that was never asked, its future may lie closer to the hearts of collectors. It is listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in West Babylon, New York.
While SUVs are the furthest thing from collector cars, I’ll admit the first Nissan Murano (and its Infiniti cousin, the FX) were quite fetching. Crossovers were still somewhat adjusting to their role in the market, and Nissan’s 2003-07 versions added a dose of style that had been missing from previous crossovers. To these eyes, it seems Nissan lost its edge with the second-generation versions, but that’s also the generation of the CrossCabriolet, which was introduced at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show as “the world’s first all-wheel drive crossover convertible.” There may be some who will claim the 1998-2000 Toyota RAV4 three-door was available with a removable rear roof, but that almost sounds Jeep-inspired, so let’s give props to Nissan for this one.
The conventional Nissan Murano was only available as a four-door, but the CrossCabriolet was transformed into a two-door, so more was done than just removing the top: New doors were created and the B-pillar was removed, with the structure reinforced from the A-pillar to the tail to make up for it. Interestingly, the cloth soft top features a rear glass skylight, “helping create the feeling of a wide-open interior environment even with the top in the closed position,” according to Nissan. Dual pop-up roll bars were part of the package, but perhaps most impressive was the neat job Nissan did with the folded top and tonneau cover, which took little in the way of interior space. On the other hand, trunk capacity was a tidy 7.6 cubic feet with the top down, growing to 12.3 feet with the roof up. Utility, you say? Ironically, not if the sky’s the limit.
The Murano CrossCabriolet was only offered in top-of-the-line LE trim, meaning “premium materials are used throughout the interior” including leather-appointed seats. Power came from a 3.5-liter V-6 offering 265 horsepower combined with an Xtronic CVT transmission. In sum, the CrossCabriolet was only available fully equipped, with few optional items from which to choose.
Though official production numbers have not been published, it is believed around 13,000 CrossCabriolets were built in its four-year run, with approximately 6,400 for the U.S. market. This Pearl White 2014 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is likely the rarest of the bunch, a final-year version with 17,944 miles. Since these were top-line cars with little left in the way of options, the inclusion of a seven-inch VGA touchscreen monitor, navigation, and premium Cashmere leather interior make this Murano peak CrossCabriolet.
So, was this vehicle truly the answer to a question that was never asked? If you recall, Range Rover later produced the Evoque Convertible, and Volkswagen also produced a T-Roc Cabriolet (something we never experienced in the States). If you have to ask, this Nissan will cost you $24,900.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
