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Presumably this is, somehow, the next Maxima. But how much is actual production body shape and how much is gingerbread?
Even in Concept Land, Nissan’s chosen to power this “Sport Sedan Concept” with the existing 3.5L V-6 and Xtronic CVT combo from the current V-6. What makes this car interesting/different is the “V-Motion” front end, the merits of which will have to be left to the viewer.
60 Comments on “NAIAS 2014: Nissan Shows Maxima Concept...”
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Asian Carp … take two …
I pinch off a better looking ‘carp’ every single day (except Mondays).
The designer must have been dropping acid or something!
Behold, the Nissan Ebert.
Too soon?
Lol’ed. But yeah, kinda too soon.
This is what happens when you don’t look for a new design direction before your old one is worn out.
That design is wore slap out.
The 3/4 views aren’t too bad. I have a feeling that it is again one of those cars that will look better in the sheet metal than in pictures.
However, do Maxima sales justify another generation of Maxima? I still argue that as big as the Altima has gotten the Maxima should be a trim package of the Altima. Like a NISSMO Altima with say forced induction on the V6, AWD, and an honest to god manual trans instead of the CVT. Give it Recaro bucket seats.
I kinda like the look. Especially from everywhere that’s not head on. As an owner of an altima 3.5 sedan I pretty much agree with this, I wouldn’t even demand the manual or the recaros, but I was really really hoping for the forced induction and awd
I agree, there’s not a big enough differentiation anymore to warrant the separate model. They don’t sell, and aren’t special. And the Altima is larger.
Trim package featuring AWD or etc would be good, and an upmarket interior versus the Altima.
You’re right. There hasn’t been a significant Maxima since the four door sports car. Why would a person buy one now?
“However, do Maxima sales justify another generation of Maxima?”
Good question. 2013 sales: Altima 320k, Maxima 53k.
The Maxima sold more than I expected, but the Altima is essentially the same car for a better price.
@SCE to AUX, and in my area (the greater Southwest/Rio Grande Corridor) used V6 Altimas sell for more than used Maximas.
Side and rear view look pretty good. Front is downright frightening though.
That front view is pure bucktooth Japanese rabbit.
My theory is that Tow Mater finally hooked up with Holley Shiftwell, and this car is their illegetimate offspring.
Utterly hideous.
I had a last gen Maxima as a rental and found it to be well put together and more fun to drive then the Chrysler 300 I had previous to that.
Considering how tubby the last gen model has gotten,especially at the hips,this concept car is an improvement.
Anecdotally speaking of course, but Maxima drivers are usually white haired gents moving up from the Camry or Impala, so expect a toned down final design to suit more conservative tastes.
Too bad about the CVT though, but the driving enthusiasts who bought Maxima’s with manual transmissions in the 90’s seem to have disappeared.
I think that’s the case in general. As soon as auto shifters out paced the performance of a self shifter. All the “serious” performance people opted out so they could multitask on that driving line and cell phone.
That front looks like a face my cat makes.
That makes sense, cuz Nips LOVE cats.
“Hey, ya’ know, last time I saw a mouth like that, it had a hook in it! I tell ya’, I get no respect”
Nissan should apologize.
Hey Baby, I bet you we’re something before electricity…
Looks nice in the front the the profile is hideous. Less is more, gentleman.
Is Bangle giving courses on how to uglyfy just the nose of cars? That front end even out-uglys Lexus and Acura.
(Full course on “going BMW” to come soon, obviously.”)
And I once again ask the question about the front design of cars now. My god is that hideous with the grill work. I thought the manufacturers got the hint when the reviews complained about Acura’s Pikachu front design on their TL’s a few years ago. I guess not.
Again, that front is nasty.
It also looks like we’re losing more visibility with some of these new designs from NAIAS. The window height on this looks near-illegal. Are you supposed to drive via a video-game screen inside the car? Or is that just a cheap way to make the car meet safety regulations.
I think the grilles have gotten so ugly because the new pedestrian crash safety standards have forced them to be tall and upright.
Basically, the front end of a car has to impact a pedestrian like a giant pillow now, and the hood has to be a couple inches taller so the pedestrian can land on it and and sink in a couple inches before contacting the immovable engine. That’s just too much height for the stylists to conceal.
The trend in automotive design is to create a distinctive, consistent “face” that defines a brand. Mercedes and BMW helped to pave the way for this, and now everyone is doing it.
Since the face has become important, automakers try to make their faces distinctive. Some do a better job than others.
That being said, this is a design exercise. I doubt that anything that remotely resembles this will be coming to a showroom near you (which is fortunate, as it’s fairly hideous from most angles.)
“Basically, the front end of a car has to impact a pedestrian like a giant pillow now, and the hood has to be a couple inches taller so the pedestrian can land on it and and sink in a couple inches before contacting the immovable engine.”
Hmm, that’s different. It’s been my experience that pedestrians generally just fold and go under between the wheels. Sometimes if you just graze them they’ll bounce back toward the curb. If you hit ’em just right they’ll ricochet back ten, twelve feet. So, now they end up on the hood, with that contorted face of horror looking right at the driver? Geez, who’s idea was that?
Oh, I’d say there’s more interesting/different than just the front end. The sides and back ends are pretty interesting/different, as well.
It will definitely be toned down though. Hopefully not as much as the Corolla Furia was.
There’s an old saying, “if it looks right, it’ll fly right”.
Here’s Boeing’s failed entry for the Joint Strike Fighter program:
https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTg1NkPj6MQ_-KSPQF4TjuhYL-jrOnuxvQRw5w8UWbtUV0JgjHD
—and now we have its 4-wheeled cousin. I wonder how much dirt and debris it’ll scoop up at highway speeds…
That’s hideous. It looks like a mutant cartoon aircraft from the movie “Planes”
The Kelly Johnson “if it looks right, it’ll fly right” thing was somewhat valid when he was designing planes because there was simply not the computing power available to actually evaluate the differences between plane designs without building and flying (or at least wind tunnel testing) them.
That said, Lockheed’s F35 was chosen, as with all grand procurement contracts, on the basis of palms greased, not an evaluation of the performance, practicality or even prettiness of the planes proposed.
No need to even mention the cluster frack that the F-35 has become since it was selected as the JSF.
That’s ugly as hell. That said, the best Nissans are usually the ugliest. I suspect this will grow on me over time.
Just followed the last iteration of the Maxima to my son’s place in Portland.
I always appreciated what the designers did with that design, not a misstep anywhere, totally integrated front to back. Very attractive for a 4-dr. Only beef was the FWD and the fact I don’t do sedans unless they have along roof.
This concept looks to be a fishing trip and will have to be seriously sorted to find an appreciative audience.
3Deuce, I agree with your last sentence.
I consider it a much more diplomatic version of Thomas’ first sentence, which I agree with even more.
Not even a 4DSC sticker can save this thing.
That makes me crave 1994 Maxima.
No kidding. Makes me appreciate my ’88 Maxima all the more….
I had a ’94 Maxima as well, when I see them now I just shake my head and wonder WTF happened
France.
That’s exactly right.
OK, we can blame France, I’m not sure why, but we haven’t blamed them for much lately
I drove a 2013 “4-Door Sports Car” recently as a rental.
Meh. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t good, either. Just went about its business with no excitement or performance whatsoever given the current powertain (which is to be carried over, double meh).
It doesn’t matter how they design the Maxima at this point. The whole marketing campaign and positioning has become meaningless due to the car’s blandtastic driving qualities. Angry carp cues cannot convince anyone that underneath, this is anything other than a beigemobile.
But I saw a commercial where a 370Z morphed into a Maxima. Surely the Maxima is super exciting to drive, or something.
They used to be.
Then the Maxima morphed into a butt-faced carp and we all know those aren’t great drivers
Is Nissan going with a snake theme? Introducing the new Nissan Maxima Copperhead.
I’ve seen this before.It’s “The Joker’s… “Why so serious” face.
If this trend continues, in ten years, the headlight bezel and the tail light bezel will touch.
Nice!
And I was thinking about buying their stock. Glad I didn’t.
That mug looks shit-faced. The only thing missing is a tongue hanging out….
Art Arfons is finally vindicated. His Green Monster jet car’s front end styling is replicated in the modern idiom 50 years later. Pity about the weak-a*s piston engine with CVT transmission when a surplus J79 would have suited this Monstah Maximah so much better.
I see Carlos Ghosn has opined that he should be replaced by two CEOs, one for Nissan and one for Renault. Not a bad idea considering that things are obviously getting out of control.
How much wood would a Nissan chuck
If a Nissan could chuck wood?
It would chuck, it would, as much as it could,
And chuck as much as a Nissan would
If a Nissan could chuck wood.
This Maxima looks as if it would slurp down pedestrians like a largemouth bass would devour a swarm of gnats.
They should build a 1998 Infiniti Q45 and put a Maxima badge on it. THAT will differentiate it from Altima – and every other 4-door “coupe” made today.
Looks like an update of the 1961 Plymouth
Not true! The ’61 Plymouth had a chrome bumper under the grille to keep the lower lip from scraping the pavement.
So Renault and AMC were a good fit after all. Meet the 2014 Matador concept.
Yikes – ugly and hard to see out of.