Guest

Has anyone heard about maxima getting an engine upgrade in 2002 to a 260hp 3.5 liter? i got this info from motortrend.com

Paul6speed

http://freshalloy.com reports the same.

madmax2k

If I know Nissan, they will use this engine for sure. But, theyll also make the car heavier, thus negating the benefits! Maybe the 3.5 in the current body style (before they "upscale" it would be the one to get.

Whtmax'01

yeah, i agree the car will be heavier and probably the 260hp will only shed at most .5 sec of the current engine performance.

punkdork

I know this is all speculation, but will the exhaust match the current max's system? I'm considering a y-pipe and I'm probably going to trade mine in for a grey luster 5spd se when they come out with th 3.5L. If the exhaust system is going to be different, I may just put money into wheels and suspension which I should be able to carry over to the new car.

Paul6speed

isn't it? The stroke is longer, which gives it the larger displacement. So the engine won't be heavier. The 2002 Maxima may be the one to get. Same size and weight Maxima with the high output engine. The 2003 Maxima supposedly gets the larger body, so the 2002 3200-3300 lb. body with the 260 HP/250 torque engine seems like a great combo.

La Jolla Max

Transplanting a 3.5liter VQ into the lightweight 4th-gen body? hmmm...

max2kgle526

that max would be slower. it is confirmed, but the maxima will be the downscale q45 by then. thats the plan.

Black VQ

It'll prolly be cheaper to get the stroker parts from the 2K Pathfinder now and stroke your own VQ up to 3.5L.
And the next-gen Altima('02, I think) will share platforms with the Max, and have the 3L VQ as an option. I dunno if the 3.5L will be an option on the Max, tho. It'd be sweet if it were standard.
The 3.5L is most likely the new engine for the new Z as well, since that Jerry dude said that they plan on it not only having more power and torque(I should hope so!), but a more useable powerband than the S2000.

Paul6speed

Yeah the 2003 will be heavier, but not the 2002. So take the current 5th gen body and put in the 3.5 VQ. This is what is supposed to happen for next year.

Max_Gator

I haven't seen anything confirming what will be done with the 2002 Maxima aside from the item on Fresh Alloy about the 3.5.

It would be nice if they keep it the same as this bodystyle and simply transplant the 3.5. If they put that engine in with the 5spd - it'll fly. Don't know what Whtmax'01 means by shedding "only about .5 off the current engine performance." Assuming that's 0-60 or 1/4 mile; that max could be turning 14.6s stock and low 6.xx. That's a hell of an improvement. After mods - wow.

Personally, I think Nissan will think it is too fast. Way out prediction: They'll make the 3.5 avail with only an auto tranny (redesigned for the 2003 bigger car). That'll make the auto and 5spd equals (bump 5spd to 227 like I-30)and give Nissan a year to test the engine/auto-drivetrain combo. 2002 will be the last year of the 5spd. They'll drop it for some funky manushift thing in 2003 and reserve it for the Altima. That way there will be no challenger performance wise for the Z. Maybe I'm wrong . . . hopefully.

max2kgle526

Doesn't the 2k have a VG30DE code instead of a VQ designation

Paul6speed

Close... it's VQ30DE.

mzmtg

iTrader: (11)

I read it in car and driver as VQ30DEK the K for kaisen. They said that was jap for updated or optimized or something like that. I could be wrong...

Paul6speed

I've read that too. I haven't seen it officially yet though.

Maxx Atlanta

It's called the SKYLINE!!! Other than the price as an obsticle, it's probibly the most unique driving experience on the planet, other than the horses from the ferarri stable. How do I know, I've been lucky enough to know this this little old lady (Not to Old), living right outside of Osaka, Japan. She owns a '96 Skyline R-32. 0 to 60 in ...... well, let's just say GS400 engine has nothing on this machine. Outside of America, Nissan is the SH__!! Can you DIGGIT!!-DRIVEN-

mo'max

I saw an internal bulletin from Nissan that said the 2002 would get all new skin and a 260-265hp power plant. I had my car in for service and had to go back to the mechanics bay to explain the problem. He had it posted on the wall where we spoke.

Max on...!

Max_Gator

Whoa! That's the first I've heard of a new skin for the 2002. More . . . More . . . More . . . please. I just doubt that we'll get a faster max - but I'm hoping!!!!

MaximaZero

it's probably a freshening up. kinda like the 96 style going to the 97 style.

Maxx Atlanta

Usually on the maxama and some other manufacturers makes, the new design last about 4 years before a major change. Maybe for 2004 model year. Don't make me have to trade in again, it's only been a month and 3 weeks!!

Whtmax'01

first iam hearing rumors of a new engine then a new skin, iam just starting payment on my new 01max and theres is no i way i can get a 02 max.
Nissan cant do this.
Anyways, they might have a facelift for the car and i doubt that because its too soon.

By the way how are the sales for the Maxima, i wonder why Nissan wants to make so many improvements in just two years.

Paul6speed

The new Maxima is not selling that great. (Sales are not horrible, but not as good as they hoped.) I think a lot of people don't like the redesign, which is why Nissan may be doing a cosmetic tuck next year.

Black VQ

Would have around 260hp is that the head design is more aggressively profiled than the Pathfinder's. So if you manage to give your 3L the bump up to 3.5L, you'll most likely be making more power than the Pathfinder's 240hp.

So who's gonna do it? Let's have a guinea pig already!!!

Guest

Yeah... and how much is this supercar gonna cost. I'll bet it will be like $50,000

Bryan91SE

That Acura 3.2 has 260 hp and it's smaller than the Max. Why too much power? Nissan needs to keep up!

Max_Gator

Yes, 3.2 has 260 hp BUT it is not made in a 5spd. The current gen max 5spd is still faster than the 3.2. My point is that going to the 3.5 with the current bodystyle would be a tremendous boost in power all other things being equal. And, it would be a 1 year abberation. That makes me think that they wouldn't do it. Hopefully I'm wrong because if they make that vehicle, we will in the range of the GS400 and BMW 540, and all but the new M3s will be eating dust. (y and CAI on a 2k 5spd puts it even with M3).

Still, it would only be a 1 year thing... but it would be a nice 1 year thing!!

Paul6speed

If Nissan did this, I would trade in my 2000 for a 2002, even if I took another financial bath. I have my doubts about this too, but I think it's highly possible. My dealer told me about this, I've seen it on 2 auto magazine websites, Freshalloy.com is reporting it, and we have the one report from someone who saw the internal memo. Doesn't mean it will happen though... not until we see it roll into the dealer...

Creature

The reason most high-power FWD cars have auto or autostick is because there aren't that many FWD trannies that can handle that kinda power. The Taurus SHO ('89-'94?) and the Maxima are the only two cars I can think of off-hand that are pumping >= 220hp stock through FWD. So my question is, when the Maxima goes to the 3.5L w/ 260hp, are we gonna lose our 5spd? Gawd I hope not!

Now, all of you who have modded your cars for lots more power, have you had to rebuild your trannies, either as a premature repair or to make them stronger to handle the power? Are Nissan's trannies just that strong?

The answers I got from Pontiac (GTP) and Dodge (Intrepid ES) and Acura (3.2TL) were that they had to use autos or autosticks because they couldn't make a FWD tranny strong enough and still cheap enough to handle the power.

philpoe

iTrader: (4)

Yet turbo/chip upgraded Jetta/Golf/Passat/A4s seem to hold up...
Volvo T5 and R and Saab Viggen meet your HP/5spd criteria as well. I think the current R is AWD though. Former versions were FWD

The answers I usually heard were "lack of demand"

xtantmaxima

Back in 98 Jeep unveiled a one year supertruck, the 5.9L Limited. Maybe this is what Nissan is going to do. Put the big motor in the small car, before the 2003 goes up in size (re: weight too). That would be a super limited car if you ask me,it would be well worth it.

young1976

Hey what Nissan should do is put AWD into the Maxima. That would make it the bomb! I'll get that over the other AWD cars. It would be sweet!

Redmax

iTrader: (20)

I would definately love to see awd in a max. I love to drive audi's for that reason and therefore i am stuck between getting an a6 or a new max next year!