4drZ

Well guys I just picked up an issue of Auto World Weekly and it had the picture of the new Z on the cover. It will have a 3.5 Liter V6 that is rated at 275 horses. Good thing is that they stated that this is the engine that will power the new maxima for 2002!! Yahoo!! Now us poor folks don't have to chill out the big bucks for the Stillen SC or custom turbo just to get some freakin' HP. I think I'll just wait and trade my 97 in when the time comes. Just FYI. Peace

krismax

iTrader: (15)

That must be why on supercars.net they changed the Zs posted hp from 260 to 275.

krismax

iTrader: (15)

That must be why on supercars.net they changed the Zs posted hp from 260 to 275.

krismax

iTrader: (15)

That must be why on supercars.net they changed the Zs posted hp from 260 to 275.

maxfreak_98

That's exactly why I'm not sinking anymore money into my ride now.
It'll be interesting to see how all of the power will be managed with FWD (Max).
Nissan is putting out some awesome products over the next few years!

Frezny

Just went to the Phily auto show, and saw some wacky stuff from Mitsu, like this AWd Hummer looking thing that's not made for off-road, but puts out like 300+ hourses with a twin turbo. The new Eclipse next year is geting wing doors, AWD and a SC.

GTRBlkMax97

iTrader: (1)

Where can I find this info out? Nissandriven.com? or what and what about pictures.

Guest

Now let me see if I understand it correctly: Nissan is replacing the VQ30 with VQ35 in the current Maxima platform (with minor cosmetic changes) and this model will last only for a year? For MY2003, the Max will be using a stretched version of the new Altima platform, basically becoming an Avalon? If so, getting a "transitional" Maxima may not be a bad idea (smaller and presumably faster). I am also wondering if they will keep it FWD or switch to RWD as there are hardly any FWD cars with more than 3L engines. I imagine the new Z will be RWD so they may just share the same design. Any thoughts on this?

Frezny

lets hope for AWD.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

I find it very odd that Nissan's brand new sports car would have the same hp and their 4-door family car. I think the 300z was supposed to have 300hp which would make more sense from a marketing standpoint.

gtr_rider

iTrader: (50)

If this is true then bye bye 4 gen.

emax02

iTrader: (1)

I wonder how much these bad boys are going to be for a base model? I bet $25K. BTW GTR_Rider it's still a 5th not a 6th gen.

Zprime

well...look at it this way
by the time that thing come out, the 4th gen will worth close to nothing as will the 3rd gen...
Well maybe I am wrong..if it is a fluke than all bets are off..
its still gonna be apple and oranges....a close to 300HP FWD stock car?....They must redesign the brake system, include LSD etc etc...make it AWD?...that thing gonna cost more than 30k!
In japan there is a bigger car that is the same class as the AVALON here...I think it is Nissan President or something
here is something I found about the new cefiro
kW PS j ^rpm 154 210 j ^6400
N Em kgm j ^rpm 265 27.0 j ^4400
thats the VQ25 DD LEV..and it comes with auto tranny only!
the VQ20DE NEO model comes with manual but power wise it is
118/6400 and 196/4400
weird units...I kinda gave up on getting it converted...
oh well

Matrix

Ive heard the Max will switch to RWD once the 3.5L comes in.

Frezny

If there so close to the Japanese limit anyway, why not just build right up to the cap?

GIMAX

I don't get it. If they introduce this new 3.5L
engine in the '02 Max, wouldn't they have to
redesign the brakes, suspension, trans, etc. to
accomadate the horsepower and torque increase.
Just seems like it wouldn't be cost effective to
make all these changes two years after the new
gen maximas came out. I don't know, just thinking
out loud.

VQ Quick

They will come out with two engine choices.
Like the Accords and Camry's. Only It'd be two 6 cyl instead of a 4 or 6.
I really think Nissan needs a new model in say..the Infiniti line up -something to combat the 3 series and IS300, Audi S4 market. The max does a good job but it's a little big which turns off a lot of people.

Ahhh "sometimes I sits and thinks... sometimes I just sits"

speedtrip

There could be several reasons why Nissan is not giving the Z 280hp. Most likely it is a marketing decision since the skyline GTR is already the 280 hp flagship in japan. It would be a waste to have two 280 hp sports cars. Or just maybe NISMO will offer performance parts for the Z here in the US.

I doubt if the 2002 Max will have the same hp as the new Z. 260 hp seems reasonable for the 2002 Max.

GTRBlkMax97

iTrader: (1)

Why don't they just make the new Maxima a four door Skyline, leave the design like the Maxima is but add the Skyline twin turbo 6 in it and the wheels from the Skyline and the brakes and suspension. That would be cool. Oh and it would have to be a 6-speed. They all should be a 6-speed.

voltman

iTrader: (1)

Nissan/Infiniti will be coming out with a 3series/IS300 fighter tentatively called the G35, based on the XVL concept (which is also the base for the Z).



info:
http://www.freshalloy.com/cars/nissan/xvl/xvl01.html

Guest

If they offer it with 6 speed transmission, I'll be their first buyer!

Frezny

I agree. That would be cool. Besides, for the most part, any Max owner would love to have Skyline performance with the interior space of the Max. Or maybe that's just my goal. But seriously, how many people here wouldn't rather a Skyline?

BriGuyMax

iTrader: (1)

The real reason that Nissan can't bring that Skyline engine over here is becuase of emission standards. Look what happend to the 6-speed Toyota Supra Turbo.....smacked by the US's stringent emission standards. I'm guessing from what I've heard that Nissan will leave the maxima line the way it is, but add a new model denoted the SE-R with the 260 hp 3.5 V6, LSD...etc.... I heard some stuff from a few guys who run Dealerships. This way they will still appeal to the "family hauler" buyers...but to enthusiasts also.

think about it

supertool

I think it was fairly obvious that once we found out that Altima would come in a V6 that it would be positioned against camry and Accord V6s, just like altima I4 is positioned against four cylinder accords and camrys. It was clear that maxima would step up to face the Avalon.
My question is what's going to happen to infiniti? The I30 will be like Maxima, and will come in at 275 HP. So what about the Q45 which is now already at 266 HP? Will it go well above 300 HP?

krismax

iTrader: (15)

The next Q45 will have 340hp.If you look in the current road&track it says the Z will be powerd by the maxima v6,it must be 3.5L max engine.

Max I am

All Infinitis are supposed to be offered with rear wheel drive and an AWD option on some.....and SUPPOSEDLY the I30 will die at the time to be replaced by something else...

nforg

A lot of intresting ideas on what Nissan is going to do. Personally, I don't know what any changes will be, but there will be a lot of them, and let me tell you why.

Nissan was non-profitable for the last 7 of 8 years they've been in business, and no changes were planned. This is do the japanese economical viewpoint. Their economy is based on market share, the american economy is based on profit.

The logic is essentially, we're #1, but havn't made a dime, but that's ok because we will eventually. Or if their not #1, they will be eventually and who cares just as long as they are the #1 brand.

Now you may be like huh why would anyone think like that, good question, well banks have thought like that for years and thats how these companies exist. Well banks are changing their mindset from market share to profit, and since banks essentially run the world, businesses ( market share ones with no profit ) are now being forced to change.

Anyways so last year (was it last year coulda been sooner/later) nissan fired their president and brought in a foreigner out of desperation ( he was from france, did not have the typical japanese economy mind set). He has since changed a lot, but they've only begun. He told the company they have 1 year to change, and if they havn't, then they're out. Well that one year is up ( or just about I think), so there will be many more changes on the way.

Not just in body design, but perhaps a completly new mindset ( thinking outside the box ) for engineering, performance, prices, rebates, service, you know the list.
So except to see a lot of changes from Nissan, I except a whole new audience to, chances are they will aim more towards the younger crowd so they can form consumers for life.

For instance, 3 years ago a sentra was like an old civic, the 2002 sentra is well, you've seen it (17' 5-spoke alloys 170-180hp). I saw a lot of people writing well they would have to redesign this and that and this..... chances are, they will.

A perfect example of an american company with a japanese econmoical mindset, is nearly every .com business; one of the top ones being Amazon.com. Most people do not know that they have not made 1 penny, infact every time they sell a book they lose money. If they would sell 0 items for the next quater they would have the highest profit the company has ever seen, it would be 0, but it's better than all the negative numbers investors have seen over the last 5 years. Just look at their stock for the last two years, ski slopes aren't that steep.

Sorry I know this is long but everyone kinda seemed a little confused on what and why so many drastic changes are or would be made. Oh Nissan's debt, was reduced from 27 billion to 19 or so billion i believe in the last year. So essentially, the new president is working and is backed by the board of directors. The company did show a profit too (under the new guy), which was the first in the last 8 years of business.

-Nate

Frezny

CAN'T and WON'T are two different things. Where as it may not be profitable to bring over the Skyline or Supra engine for the mass market, the skyline is in the US legally. To make it possible, one needs money, thus leaving the Skyline to the enthusiast. How many people here are not enthusiasts?

Now remember, I'm only talking about a hypothetical fantasy of the Max being redesigned with the Skyline muscle. The only way that it would truly happen is if the Japanese, Australian, and European markets demanded a super sports sedan. If that were the case, then we COULD get a Maxima/Skyline hybrid here in the states. Chances are, that's not going to happen.

jgadlage

iTrader: (1)

Remember when the Maxima went from 190hp to 220 in 2000? What else did you get? MORE WEIGHT. More than likely the Maxima will get even more weight than it has now and it will become even bigger than it is now. This is in the progression to make the maxima a full bodied family car. More power doesn't mean a thing if you are driving a car that weighs a ton. Kind of counter-productive if you ask me.

Black VQ

The Skyline's RB26DETT is an inline six. It's just too long to fit in the Max's engine bay without some serious work.
The turbo version of the 3L VQ would be a much more feasible pipe dream. It may actually be offered in the R35 Skyline, as the little Car&Driver article somebody posted pointed out. Or better yet, a 3.5L version would be a real screamer, even faster than the new Q's V8!

Agent0040oz

Was at the Pittsburgh auto show over the weekend and went over to the Nissan section where they had a gorgeous 2001 anniversary edition Max sitting there, I love the side skirts and aero kit on it, was drooling. Anyway, talked with a few of the factory reps and they said the new Max with the big engine (260hp I think, one guy said 265 even) is slated for this fall. And it should be available with the aero kit stuff the AE edition has. The one guy even mentioned 18inch rims on it, hell yeah. However, let me state I'm not sure if they even knew what they were talking about. They were all on a big Sentra kick, which I pointed at the max and said "I want that with a big engine. And I want a Skyline". They laughed at the Skyline, its not coming over here ever says them.

Now the bad news, apparently they're trying to move the Altima into the Maxima slot, I guess they're redesigning it sometime soon and giving it a huge engine as well. Probably making it the same size as the maxima is my guess. The Maxima will be getting bigger.. if I were to guess I'd say it'll be a Q45 platform. I saw the new Q this weekend, which was really nice. But huge, way too damb big.

Anyway, this is what I heard from them. No telling if they knew what they were talking about. I heard conflicting info between 2 of them, however that AE edition is the bomb, and if i can get it with 260hp I'm selling the 97 i30 and buying a silver one with stick and 18" rims, strut supports and big *** Kickers.

SleeperSE

- Look, I'm sure we all agree that 275hp from a FWD vehicle isn't gonna be too much fun (300hp front-wheel drive Cadillac DTS, anyone?), which is why the following is going to happen.
- Charles Ghosn, head bean-counter for beloved Nissan, is a big fan of Ferdinand Piech's platform strategy. Remember how the VW Golf and the Audi TT are built on the same platform, yet each has it's own habits? Well, if there is truth to the Altima and the Maxima each bumping up a bit, it would make sense that the 6th generation Maxima will share a platform with the new 350Z and will become RWD. There has already been discussion on how the engine and chassis were designed for flexibility and the new Z car weighs the same as a 4th gen Maxima, anyway. (For starters, this will give a bit of credit to the whole "Four Door Sports Car" moninker, don't you think?)
- Don't forget that Infiniti announced earlier this year that they wish to have an all RWD line-up within a 2-3 years. It only makes sense for Nissan to share the platforms to make them more cost-effective.
- This new strategy makes sense as the new Altima will more efficiently be able to compete in the Mid-Size segment. Nissan can offer a 4-banger and a 6 cylinder (2.0L four and 2.5 - 3.0L six, I'm guessing) to compete head-on with the Camry and Accord. For how long has the Altima been too small to be a mid-size, and a Maxima been a little bigger than the other competitors. Now, rather than awkwardly filling in the gaps between the car segments, Nissan will be right in the middle of it all. (I can only pray that they ditch the funky taillights on the Max.)
- I'm sure that the Maxima will become a true flagship for Nissan, but one has to wonder how Infiniti will fit in this role. Certainly, they already have a name for themselves. Wouldn't it sound ritzier to pull up to a restaurant in an Infiniti Maxima, than a Nissan Maxima? You get my point.
- Anyhow, that's what's going to happen. The Maxima will share a RWD platform with some Infiniti products and with the new 350Z and the Altima will become a true competitor to the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry. Maybe we'l even get some SE-R or GTR variants. On top of that, Nissan will finally be raking in some true profits.

- For those of you who lament the size increase in the Maxima, get over it. It's just a name. If you want a sports car, get the new 350Z. If you want a current-Maxima-sized sport/family sedan, get the new Altima. If you want a luxury BMW 5-series fighter, get the new Maxima. The new line-up will cover everyone's needs.
- PS, the former 300ZX was named for its 3.0 Liter engine, not its 300hp TT variant. Don't forget all the older Z's that didn't have matching hp to name designations... And don't forget the naturally aspirated 300ZX that was, by no means, 300hp.
;-)

[Edited by SleeperSE on 02-12-2001 at 01:45 AM]

SleeperSE

- Last month, we had a similar discussion about the future Skyline since future cars were all over the auto magazines.
- Apparently, the next generation Skyline will be a true global car and will be coming to North America. It will be positioned as a competitor for the next generation Acura NSX and will be badged as a Nissan, not an Infiniti (yeah!). The car will most likely ditch the antique TT inline six in favor of a more easily packaged 400hp V-8 about 4.5 liters in size. Coincidentally, the new NSX will also be powered by a V-8.
- The move to a V-8 will also allow for two Nissan sports cars, the 350Z and the Skyline, to coexist. A 275hp V-6 and a 400hp V-8 play together nicely on the market share playground. Besides, the self-imposed 276hp limit is rapidly breaking down in Japan. As long as the cars meet emissions and crash standards, who cares?
- Personally, I'm looking forward to when I can get my new Z-car. ;-)