The Nissan Resonance concept is powered by the maker's latest hybrid drivetrain system.
The parade of previews and teases continues as manufacturers prepare for one of the busiest Detroit Auto Shows in years. With nearly 60 new models set to debut at Motown’s Cobo Center it’s no wonder manufacturers are vying for attention ahead of time with images like this one previewing the Nissan Resonance Concept.
If the basic shape seems somewhat familiar, well, no surprise. Expect to see the Resonance return in the very near future in production form as the next-generation Nissan Murano.
In concept form, Nissan says the “envelope-pushing crossover” is powered by a hybrid-electric powertrain. That’s also likely to reappear as one of the options the Japanese maker will offer on the production Murano.
Until recently, Nissan has been skeptical of gas-electric technology, preferring to focus on pure battery-electric vehicles like the Leaf – which itself begins U.S. production this week. (Click Here for that story.) But the maker appears to be warming to hybrids now that it has developed its own take on the technology and no longer has to pay a premium to license it from rival Toyota – as it did with the original Nissan Altima Hybrid.
In fact, Nissan recently revealed plans to have 16 different hybrid models in its global line-up by 2016.
If last year’s Nissan Hi-Cross Concept is any indication, the Resonance/Murano will pair a 2.0-liter gas engine with an electric motor drawing power from an advanced lithium-ion battery pack.
The teaser image suggests Resonance is aimed at maintaining Nissan’s focus on edgy styling, a strategy meant to differentiate the brand from the traditionally stodgy Toyota. But where the previous Murano – last updated in 2009, tended to put the premium on form over function, the new model appears to be trying to strike a better balance between the two.
Look for the Nissan Resonance Concept to make its official debut at the 2013 North American International Auto Show next Tuesday.