The 2012 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is one of the weirdest automotive creations we've seen in a while; it's safe to say there's nothing quite like it on the market today. That may have presented a problem to the folks behind Nissan's consumer Web site tasked with filling the competitive comparison section. Nissan's 2012 Murano CrossCabriolet convertible has a 265-hp V-6 engine, standard all-wheel drive, and incredibly soft leather seats. So does that make it more of a challenger to the Porsche Boxster roadster or a rugged convertible like the Jeep Wrangler?
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Go to Nissan's Comparator site and the Murano CrossCabriolet is matched against a 2012 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport, 2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i, 2012 Porsche Boxster roadster, and 2012 Audi TTS coupe. Before you immediately dismiss each of these cars as a Murano CrossCabriolet alternative, consider them potential "midlife crisismobiles" and the picture begins to make a bit more sense. Each of these five cars has snob or flashy appeal and, let's be honest, many drivers likely bought them for status alone. And no Corvette, Z4, Boxster, or TTS offers the "WTF is that!" styling of the Murano CrossCabriolet, which has a $45,350 base price for 2012, down from $47,200 in 2011.
Either way, the Murano CrossCabriolet might actually become a value if you believe the Corvette/Z4/Boxster/TTS comparison. A 2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i costs $49,525, a base 2012 Chevy Corvette convertible $50,500, and a 2012 Porsche Boxster $49,050. The 2012 Audi TT convertible carries an MSRP of $42,175 but the TTS droptop starts at $50,875.
So what else could possibly compete with the 2012 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet? Try a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Call of Duty MW3 Edition. Loaded with features like a navigation system, five-speed automatic transmission, and front heated seats, the 2012 Wrangler special edition's price can actually reach $45,000.
So we'll leave it to you:Would you compare the all-wheel-driveNissan Murano CrossCabrioletconvertible to slinky $50,000 convertibles like Nissan's consumer site, the loaded special editionJeep WranglerUnlimited, or something else?Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
All prices include the destination charge.
I’ve come a long way since I drove sugar packets across restaurant tables as a kid, pretending they were cars. With more than 17 years of experience, I'm passionate about demystifying the new car market for shoppers and enthusiasts. My expertise comes from thoughtfully reviewing countless vehicles across the automotive spectrum. The greatest thrill I get isn’t just from behind the wheel of an exotic car but from a well-executed car that’s affordable, entertaining, and well-made. Since about the time I learned to walk I’ve been fascinated by cars of all shapes and sizes, but it wasn’t until I struggled through a summer high school class at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design that I realized writing was my ticket into the automotive industry. My drive to high school was magical, taking me through a beautiful and winding canyon; I've never lost the excited feeling some 16-year-olds get when they first set out on the road. The automotive industry, singing, and writing have always been my passions, but because no one seeks a writer who sings about the automotive industry, I honed my writing and editing skills at UC Irvine (zot zot!), serving as an editor of the official campus newspaper and writing stories as a literary journalism major. At USC, I developed a much greater appreciation for broadcast journalists and became acquainted with copy editing rules such as why the Oxford comma is so important. Though my beloved 1996 Audi A4 didn’t survive my college years, my career with MotorTrend did. I started at the company in 2007 building articles for motorcycle magazines, soon transitioning to writing news posts for MotorTrend’s budding online department. I spent some valuable time in the copy editing department, as an online news director, and as a senior production editor. Today, MotorTrend keeps me busy as the Buyer's Guide Director. Not everyone has a career centered on one of their passions, and I remind myself all the time how lucky I am.
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