DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: Nissan previews next Murano

Nissan has released the first teaser photo of a concept that's widely expected to preview the next generation of its Murano luxury SUV, which is due on sale in 2014.

Revealed on the company's Facebook page ahead of its world debut at the Detroit motor show on Monday (US time), Nissan says simply that the Resonance concept is "the latest in a series of crossover designs from Nissan".

As with all good teaser campaigns, few details of the concept have been divulged, save for the fact the new concept will debut with a "hybrid-electric powertrain".

The Resonance concept will be revealed alongside Nissan's signature scent at the Cobo Centre in Michigan.

As evidenced from the teaser image, it features a sleek roofline with what appears to be a twin-lip roof spoiler, hinting at sporty aspirations.

Hidden pillars create a continuous window line and, together with some interesting creases around the wheel-arches - not to mention neon-inspired LED brake lights - the design is shaping up to be a head-turner.

While the next-generation Murano is not due on sale until 2014, a production version of the new SUV is expected to be unveiled later in 2013.

Priced from $48,290 – around the same starting point as the Pathfinder, which will be renewed later this year – the existing Murano plays a small but relatively lucrative role in Nissan's SUV model range, contributing 2145 sales in Australia last year, which was slightly down on 2011's sales of 2246.

In the US, Nissan also offers a convertible version of the Murano, the CrossCabriolet, but its future is not clear.

Nissan's Resonance joins several other concepts to be teased ahead of their global premieres at Detroit next week, including show cars from Toyota (Furia), Infiniti (Q50), Hyundai (Genesis) and Honda, which will unveil its next MDX and an all-new Jazz-based compact SUV.

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