Autoblog

Click above to view high-res gallery of the 2009 Nissan Maxima

The latest Nissan out of the gate - the sixth model to wear the "Maxima" designation - gets a significant redesign for 2009. Launched in 1985, the first Maxima was a praised departure from its predecessor, the rear-wheel-drive Datsun 810. Reconfigured as front-wheel-drive, the newly-named sedan foreshadowed the arrival of Nissan's "4-Door Sports Car" or "4DSC", a name aptly-coined for the 1989 model. While each subsequent generation seemed to soften (much to the lament of enthusiasts), the automaker claims this ground-up remake once-again earns the 4DSC moniker. Follow the jump to see if Nissan succeeded.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above to view high-res gallery of the 2009 Nissan Maxima

You know how it goes with the rumormill. Sometimes it tends to be spot-on in its predictions; sometimes... not so much. Such is the case with recent reports that the upcoming clean diesel engine in the Nissan Maxima would be equipped with a manual transmission only. As we reported at the time, a move like that would surely limit the new diesel's appeal to the stick-averse American buying population, and therefore hurt sales. Fear not, slushbox fans, Motive has confirmation from an engineer at Nissan that the Maxima, even in diesel form, will in fact be offered with an automatic transmission as standard. Moreover, it's the shift-it-yourself gearbox that now seems a bit unlikely. As much as we enjoy the thought of rowing our own gears with tons of diesel-supplied torque on hand, delivering the Maxima with an automatic is surely the right choice to make.


[Source: Motive]

When Nissan chose to begin development on the next Maxima, it originally set out to go the safe route of catering towards mass appeal, an effective plan frequently proven successful by Toyota. However, when Nissan brought on former R34 Skyline GT-R product planner, Hiroshi Tamura, to the Maxima team, he gave the company an ultimatum. He believed the company should set the Maxima apart from others in its class by offering an affordable sports sedan with unique styling. The idea meant stepping out of a comfort zone, aiming for core customers left out by other manufacturers' sedans and attempting to create a design that would stand out in a crowd. The final result was unveiled at the 2008 New York Auto Show. Tamura's influence can be seen in the wide fender flares, steering wheel paddle shifters and front grill. As Autoblog comments also suggested, its design evoked great debate on aesthetic acceptance.

The crowd reaction was all fine and dandy with Hiroshi Tamura. His pride and joy, the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R, was not a visual pleasure for everyone when it was released. It garnered many a harsh criticism, but that did not hold back its popularity. After all, Tamura is an automotive enthusiast through and through. He holds function over fashion. As a product planner he has strived to put a piece of that passion into all of his projects. While the 2009 Nissan Maxima might not win a beauty contest, it was never meant to – it was meant to perform. Check out the gallery below to see Hiroshi Tamura give us an introduction to Nissan's new sedan. Also take a peak at previous Maxima galleries after the jump.

Click above for more high-res pics of the 2009 Nissan Maxima

Ever since Nissan took the Altima upmarket in both size and prize, the Maxima has suffered from an identity crisis. In the Nissan/Infiniti lineup, this premium front-wheel-drive sports sedan suffered a middle-child syndrome while slotted between the less-expensive yet still capable Altima and the more aspirational rear-wheel-drive Infiniti G35 sports sedan. Nissan hopes to give the Maxima a new voice in its crowded lineup of large sedans with the new 2009 model that comes in your choice of a 3.5 S or 3.5 SV trim. Clearly, it packs a visual punch.

The new design is something Nissan calls "Liquid Motion". It's dynamic, for sure, with peaks and valleys among flowing lines and sharp creases that combine to form a muscular shape. See a little of the last-gen Nissan Skyline GT-R in that grille? We do, and that's not a bad thing, though the new wraparound L-shaped headlamps may not go over well with everyone. Despite the large front and rear overhangs, Nissan actually shrunk the Maxima's length and wheelbase while widening its track. Call the design what you want, but it's not derivative and the expressive flanks make it truly look like a four-door sports car.

Click above to view high-res gallery of the 2009 Nissan Maxima

Forums are fast becoming the bane of automakers that've spent a lot of time, energy and money coordinating a new car's debut. Nissan was hoping to debut the all-new 2009 Maxima tomorrow during the New York Auto Show, but forum Supernissans.net has burst this carmaker's bubble a bit early. Six pics of the new 2009 Nissan Maxima were posted on this forum, which we've included in the gallery below, and more have begun showing up on other sites around the web. We'll have details on the car, as well as more live shots and high-res official photos, tomorrow morning when the new Maxima rolls out on stage in the Big Apple. Until then, we're sure you're eager to check out the pics and discuss this polarizing design in the comments.


[Source: Supernissans.net, World Car Fans, Motor Authority]

The official unveiling of the 2009 Nissan Maxima will occur at next month's New York Auto Show. Despite Nissan's efforts to hide the car away until then, it just couldn't keep its new 4-Door out of sight. If you hadn't guessed already, a thoroughly covered Maxima was recently caught by spy photographers while out for a romp in the snow. The recent spell of frigid weather has created the perfect conditions for automakers to break out their test mules to collect more cold weather exposure data. Through the snowflakes and camouflage the new Maxima's details are rather difficult to discern. However, with what little there is to observe it appears that the rear end will be less bulbous than its predecessor. The rear fenders also flare out a bit, which makes for a sportier looking stance than the flat lines of the current model. We're told that the new 2009 Nissan Maxima will go a long way in restoring this car's identity, which has been muddled for years in between the hot-selling Altima and decidedly more sporty Infiniti G35 sedan. We'll let you know what we find in New York next month.

[Source: TheCarConnection]

We've been wondering where Nissan was going to fit in on the docket of next week's Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS), but InsideLine confirmed our suspicions – they won't be having a press conference at all. Instead, the Forum concept will be set on stage and Nissan will turn its attention to the New York Auto Show in March. There, Nissan plans to take the wraps of the redesigned Maxima that's destined to go on sale later this year.

Darryl Harrison, Nissan's North American spokesperson, told InsideLine that the Maxima will be "all new" but he didn't go into details about what changes would be made. He also said that a "couple of other things" would be on display in the Big Apple and that Nissan's presence at the Chicago Auto Show would be minimal.

[Source: Inside Line]

2007 model shown

The Nissan Maxima is back for 2008, and prices for the premium midsize sedan have jumped ever so slightly to $28,130 for the SE and $30,380 for up-model SL. Nissan for some reason felt the need to bump the price by $80 for both models. New for 2008 is a Platinum Edition Package that includes bi-xenon headlights, hands-free Bluetooth, and memory for the seats, steering wheel, and side mirrors. The new package will provide savings of $1,350 vs. buying the options separately. The Xtronic CVT is back once again and will control Nissan's excellent 3.5L VQ engine, and the exterior is unchanged from last year's refresh. No word on whether Nissan intends to continue the strange tradition of having the sporty 18" rims on the SE and the smaller, less attractive 17s on the more expensive SL.

[Source: Nissan]

Like Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, the Nissan Maxima was once a scrappy fighter that "coulda been a contenda." In the 80s it was the car that talked to you -- the one Eddie Murphy made fun of, wishing that instead of saying things like "Your door is ajar," it would say something useful like "Hey man, someone stole your battery." Then it really found form as the 4DSC (4-Door Sports Car) that looked good and went good. That was when it had the brand new 300Z for a sibling, back when Super Bowl commercials were worth watching. But that was the early 90s. Now the Maxima is, as they say in middle America, a lost ball in high weeds.

Nissan has decided to change that. Come 2009, Nissan has promised a Maxima "unlike anything we've ever done." It will be based on the VQ engine family, but will be FWD so as not to ruffle Infiniti feathers. With next year being Nissan's 50th anniversary, expect a concept to join the parade circuit along with the ready-for-sale GT-R and new Z.

[Source: Automobile Magazine]

The idea of a four-door sedan that shelters a sports car within its mechanical soul has always been appealing to us, and the Nissan Maxima was the original 4-Door Sports Car. Lately, however, the Maxima is a adrift within a lineup that doesn't need it thanks to the more than competent Altima and the real four-door sports sedan from Japan, the rear-wheel drive Infiniti G35. Nevertheless, people like Flickr member Ca3ey still believe in the Maxima, and this 2002 Maxima GLE has a healthy list of mods that's turned the original 4DSC into something a bit more menacing.

What we particularly like about this tuned Maxima is the lack of traditional tuner flair in favor of a monochromatic color palette and a host of handling upgrades. You see the, the VQ V6 underhood (a VIS Racing carbon fiber hood, in this case) has a decent amount of power for a front-wheel driver; any more ponies in the corral would only worsen torque steer. So dropping the ride height with TEIN S-tech lowering springs, firming up the ride with Tokico adjustable shocks and dropping in a rear sway bar struck us as the right areas of improvement. The Maxima's cosmetic upgrades are also to our liking, as they're aggressive enough to ward off the Soccer Dad who thinks his Camry has what it takes but subtle enough not to draw unwanted attention to itself.

Check out the full list of mods for Ca3ey's 2002 Maxima GLE after the jump along with more pics.

If you'd like to see your own ride featured here, simply upload photos of your ride into our Flickr group. We select one image to highlight each week day, and on the weekend let you vote for the RR of the Week. Detailed instructions can be found after the jump.