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2015 Nissan Murano gets edgier, lighter for NY

Nissan's Murano stands as one of the originators of the crossover movement - it was perhaps the first such vehicle to throw out the idea that a CUV had to look like a boxy, cladded-up sport utility vehicle in order to be successful. Now poised to enter its third generation, the midsize Nissan is not only getting a new look and a host of new technologies, it's getting a new home: Canton, MS.
With dramatic new styling presaged by the Resonance Concept at last year's Detroit Auto Show, the new Murano debuting at this week's New York Auto Show includes a toned-down "V-Motion" nose, and the Japanese automaker's trademark boomerang-shaped light fixtures. Aside from the chunky chrome U-shaped grille element up front, the new Murano's most striking design detail is its cantilevered roof with funky "disconnected" D-pillars, a floating look reinforced by a greenhouse edged in brightwork. Overall, it's a much more bold and expressive piece of design than Nissan's recent second-generation Rogue, fitting, as the Murano has always been on the daring end of CUV design.
Boasting a 0.31 coefficient of drag and a ton of sheetmetal surface development, the Murano's new form is available with LED headlamps and features active grille shutters for improved aerodynamics. The company claims visibility has been improved as well - and not just because of its brilliant available Around View Monitor camera system - Nissan says it has "optimized the angles and thickness of the bottom of the A-pillar," along with fiddling with the size and location of the side mirrors.

Did Amazon just deliver a car in a giant box?

Back in September, reports started rolling in that Amazon would get into the auto sales business after a promo for the Nissan Versa Note appeared on the online retailer's page. That link didn't actually sell a car, but instead acted as a referral service for potential customers, linking them up with dealers. A recent image that's been floating around on Reddit and that was picked up by The Huffington Post, though, has us wondering if Amazon has dove into the actual business of selling cars, rather than just referring people to dealers.
The image, above, shows an enormous Amazon box on the back of a flatbed tow truck. According to HuffPo, this could be one of the cars sold through the earlier promotion for the Versa Note (which was sweetened with the addition a $1,000 Amazon gift card). Apparently, three of the Versas purchased would arrive in such a fashion. Then again, this could all be nothing more than an elaborate publicity stunt. Amazon is, after all, the company has been touting drone delivery of its goods.
What do you think is in the box? Let us know down in Comments. Bonus points for those that come up with an idea as absurd as the bulk order of banana slicers HuffPo mentioned.

Nissan installs 1,000th CHAdeMO fast charger in Europe

While the European Union hasn't been very supportive of CHAdeMO stations, the fast chargers are seeing significant growth in the European electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, with Nissan installing number 1,000 at the Roadchef Clacket Lane Services in Surrey, UK recently. In the past year, the number of CHAdeMO fast chargers nearly doubled in Europe, starting from about 600 stations in early 2013, and that's helping make EVs more useful. Nissan says that installation of a CHAdeMO station along Norway's E18 highway increased EV use eightfold there in the 18-month period after that station was installed. The new CHAdeMO station in the UK is available to use for free and, like other CHAdeMO stations, can charge a Nissan Leaf or other compatible EV up to an 80-percent charge in just under 30 minutes. Japanese automakers like Nissan and Mitsubishi are dedicated to the CHAdeMO but German and US automakers continue to support a competing technology in Europe and abroad, the SAE Combo DC fast charger. Tesla Motors has covered all the bases as it rolls out its $1,000 CHAdeMO adapter for its Supercharger stations. Nissan worked with Ecotricity, a UK green energy firm considered to be a pioneer in EV charging, for the Surrey installation. Nissan says that installing it on the M25 highway south of London helps EV drivers gain easy access to Kent and onward into Europe on one of the busiest roads in Europe. That will help drivers of the Leaf and the upcoming Nissan e-NV200 electric van to quickly extend their journeys, said Jean Pierre Diernaz, Nissan's director of electric vehicles, in the press release available below. 1,000th CHAdeMO standard quick charger installed in the UK UK has 18% of Europe's electric vehicle quick chargers Charger provides free, zero carbon electricity from Ecotricity Chargers recharge electric cars from 0-80% in 30 minutes Nissan has announced 1,000 CHAdeMO quick chargers have now been installed in Europe with the commissioning of the charger at the Roadchef Clacket Lane Services in Surrey, UK. The fast charging unit can recharge the batteries of compatible* electric vehicles - including the 100% electric Nissan LEAF - from zero to 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes, and at zero cost. The installation of the fastest type of chargers dramatically increases the uptake and usage of electric vehicles.