Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedans/Saloons, Japan, Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan
Tokyo Motor Show: Getting intimate with the Nissan Intima
Click the above picture for more pictures of the Nissan Intima concept
Last time I saw a car door opened at that angle it had been bent that way by a taxi, but here the Nissan Intima's doors are opened to such extreme degrees "to aid access and egress." The guy behind the concept was keen to impress that the outwardly rotating seats are not purely for use by the elderly and infirm, but are to help the rest of us in and out too. Quite how many able-bodied folk have the patience to wait 15 to 20 seconds to be dropped at the curb is open to debate however.
More likely to see production in the foreseeable future is the Intima's clean diesel V6, outlandish lights, and perhaps even the expansive windshield cum sunroof. More pics lurk beyond the link.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
RJ 2:02AM (10/25/2007)
I would say that this is a step back in design for Nissan, although they remain the most exciting of Japan's Big 3.
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Los 2:03AM (10/25/2007)
Looks like they are finally coming to some iteration of that whole "Deisgn in Motion" motif they are trying to sell Infiniti as, but have fallen short of.
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dakota 3:33AM (10/25/2007)
If anything this is a peek into what the next Maxima is going to be. Not bad so far.
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asifgrkhan 7:14AM (10/25/2007)
If this indeed is a precursor to the new Maxima then it is a definite improvement from the current one.
Seems like Nissan will be a serious player in the full size segment again.
DDL 10:45AM (10/25/2007)
It is probably more of an indication of the styling of the next Teana/SE Asia Maxima. The concept has a number of styling cues consistent with the current Teana like the side DLO, IP layout, door panels, rear Bangle-esqe deck, exhaust. The front definitely has some characteristics similar to NA Nissans such as the grille and swept back headlight clusters. It COULD Be the next NA Maxima if the two products are merged. As an owner of an '04 Maxima, I would like to see it happen.
Dausman 5:16AM (10/25/2007)
Agree, Nissan/Infinity styling best of Japanese.
Clean diesel sounds great...mosly like it all...? side safety? from side impact?....20 seconds not long for someone needing such assistance from rotating seats..if you haven't assisted a parent or grand-parent , you will sooner or later...any and every bit of assistance is appreciated. Whether this style car is where it would be most beneficial may be of question...a van may be better suited...Doesn't Chrysler already have that feature?
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geo.stewart 6:35AM (10/25/2007)
why would I fold the door back that far?
I cant reach around to close it.
The parking space isnt wide enough to open it 90degrees.
Should have engineered a forward sliding door, reverse minivan style.
That is an innovation that would save countless door dings since we wont get wider parking spaces.
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MoonRover 7:01AM (10/25/2007)
Exactly.
PiCASSO 7:36AM (10/25/2007)
Wow... this is like a bloated Toyota Avalon. Perhaps Nissan is hinting on a competitor to the Avalon, Buick Lucern, and Murcury Montego, since the current Maxima is sized (and looks) just like the Altima?
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SuperSkyline89 7:55AM (10/25/2007)
I definitely think it looks like a Toyota Avalon, the first time I saw it I actually though that it was a concept of a redesigned Avalon.
Jared 8:14AM (10/25/2007)
I agree. It looks like an Avalon in front. The rear fenders mimic the current Mercedes S-class.
Ligor 8:41AM (10/25/2007)
to those Avalon comments
check your eyes.
the hood has the same line as a G35 - put them side by side
the front grill is what the Altima has on for 2007
the headlights look nothing like a production car
yet you all addit it up to an avalon
google pics of the avalon and prove your own self wrong.
Now Nissan need to remove that weird front bumper adn replace it with something better and this next maxima will be best in class
the diesel is all good, but the 3.5L VQ needs the AWD option as it will be too much power on those front wheels.
now this design could be RWD and a bit too big for the Maxima, which mens it might hint at the next Infiniti M
Bill Ford 8:33AM (10/25/2007)
The only reason the car looks good is because it copies Mercedes. That should be flattering for MB and its superiority in design.
The front is a rip-off from Avalon, but a lot more thoughtful.
Not bad, but there is nothing original, just a hybrid of Mercedes + Toyota.
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Alex 8:34AM (10/25/2007)
i really like this design. especially the interior.
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nissanfreak87 9:32AM (10/25/2007)
Not a huge fan of the front, but the rest of the car looks great. As a Maxima owner, I'm really disappointed that Nissan is just turning it into a luxury car. I have a 4th gen and love the "sporty-ish" feel of the 4DSC, or 4 door sports car, it seems like Nissan has forgotten all about that part of the Maxima's past
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h8rain 9:46AM (10/25/2007)
Doesn't look bad, just not really exciting, but how excited can you be by a large sedan.
Side note: Why does almost every concept car have like knife blades for side mirrors...It drives me crazy. Or I'm just crazy for noticing it.
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mj 10:11AM (10/25/2007)
I agree that the Nissan Intima is truly a next gen Maxima. I was hoping, however, that Nissan would revisit the 4 door sport sedan concept for the Maxima. The current 2004-2008 Maxima looks like a bloated Altima. The Intima is much larger and although it mimics the Mercedes CLS granduer, it cannot mimic the performance details. The CLS looks BOTH sporty and elegant. The Intima is strictly for luxury cruising, which is a disappointment for the younger crowd. I guess the performance edge went to the Infiniti division. This is sad because most Nissan owners associated Nissan (ESPECIALLY the MAXIMA) with affordable FWD performance cars.
The Intima should be "drastically downsized" to the 1999 to 2003 Maxima size (would improve fuel and handling), suspension should be lowered, and add a sports package option. Of course the suicide doors will not make it to production due to cost and impractical design. That roof line is for concept design purposes.
Nissan can keep the grill (it looks much better than the current Max), headlights, hood design (I see the G35 traits in the hood). The fancy interior is going to increase cost. The front air dam will require a redesign.
If Nissan "downsizes" and make this vehicle a SPORTY alternative to Toyota Avalon & Hyundi Azzera, it could grab a huge chuck of the segment. And please increase the horsepower. The current Maxima 3.5 VQ is 255 hp. The competition range is 268 to 300 horsepower nowadays.
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mike 10:44AM (10/25/2007)
See, I don't think that downsizing is really an option for the Maxima. The main problem with the Max currently is the fact that it is for all intents and purposes the same car as the Altima. I know that now they are on different platforms and all, but the Altima has taken the spot of the previous generation Max as a "4DSC," especially with the addition of the Coupe (yes, I know this takes away 2 doors, but it appeals to the sport). The Maxima needs to go bigger to differentiate itself from the Altima, or else it will just stagnate.
When I was looking for a new car last April, I looked at both the '07 Alti and Max, and got the Alti. It's the same size, has 15hp more, a newer chasis, and you can get it loaded for about the same price as a base Maxima. My Alti has leather, Bose stereo, moonroof, VDC, bluetooth, HID, etc. for 28-29k, while 29k gets you a normal stereo and cloth seats in a Maxi. The only things exclusive to a Max are power folding mirrors and memory power driver seat. Not really deal breakers.
To compete with the Avalon and not get cannibalized by the Altima, it MUST go bigger.
James 12:12AM (10/26/2007)
I, too, thought this was a Toyota.
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Michael Wayne Huff 9:25PM (10/26/2007)
Dear Friends;
For some reason I have my doubts of this getting posted, but here goes! I want to truly know what happened to this country and the fact that we will give billions to other countries' every year but to think we may actually revolt by making cars that run on corn or electric or even air but don't pollute a drop!!! And if such thing was to happen by Bill Gates or Oprah (who in her defence she won't even mention not loving gasoline on the air because of her hamburger slip-up a few years' back) but I think you get my drift, that some fearless billionaire that comes to the realezation that if you can't breath or your children & grandchildren will die from poisoning because of cars & gasoline pollution, all the money in the universe is'ent even good for burning to keep warm in the winter! An if Spain can jump ahead of us with Flex Cars that hardly pollute then what happened to our backbones??? C'mon Guy's & Girl's, is this still America or have we openly turned into Chinese that have to do what the King says or it's off with your head!!! This needs to be done YESTERDAY! Not in TEN YEARS when it's definately way too too late! What is the reason for EVEN igsisting, when you are defeating your true purpose for igsisetance!!! We are here to stewart the earth and it's treasure's of fowl and sea creature's, not to kill them and ourselves along with our grandchildren. You want your children home from the war? Stop the reason for us being over there by stopping the reason to need oil!!! Are you going to tell me we are so stupid we can't use the assets of OUR GOVERNMENT to swicthout our car's & create an economic boom at the same time? Are we so patheticly stuck in front of the mirror that we can't see past our nose's an know that it's not really in our nature to destroy ourselve's & each other unless we let some idiot convince us of such ignorance...
Sincerely; hmichaelmaxxx@aol.com
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