Propa Teknique

You have a point. The 8th Gen and every Gen thereafter for the Maxima and every other vehicle that will be on the road will have to follow more strict fuel efficiency standards.

This is why @lightonthehill mentioned Nissan's steady transition to CVT and possibly to more fuel efficient engines such as a possible diesel, supercharger, hybrid, or regen braking. It was bound to happen though.

I'm uncertain if the 8th Gen will surpass 25C/35H MPG however but one can hope.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Study this graphic and see if you notice anything



BTW it's an ave across the model line. Hell Nissan barely sells maximas anymore. And CVT is NOT the only way to get mpg. 6-7-8sp autos can do this also.

2003MaximaMan

what? that it was flat to negative until the most recent 5 years or so?

and so hopefully they make a car that is fun to drive that blows the socks off the others.


yeah well I will still lay bets that a GOP win in 2016 will see scaling back of the Obama vehicle efficiency standards. Thus we can have more fast cars. Do not want smaller displacement. Less top-end potential for aftermarket.

Chris Alexander

we'll all be taking the little blue pill by the time the 8th gen gets here.

justmaxxin

I was at a Nissan dealer chatting about cars with a couple salesman, a tech, and manager. They mentioned that the new Maxima is going to be getting a manual! My question is because we had gotten cut off by customers, for the 7th gen or 8th? I really wished when the 7th came out a manual would be available, if not there should be one soon before 7th gen has ended. Has Nissan done this before where cars came out sometimes introducing a manual later on? Just like to get some feedback from you guys.

jontyrees

I'm going to guess that a manual transmission Maxima is HIGHLY unlikely, for the same reasons they stopped offering them in the first place. Nobody buys them. Sad but true. Maybe they have a DSG in the works, but I just can't see a 6-sp coming back.

justmaxxin

I've read about problems with the older manuals for them but how are the trannies in the new Zs? I know its a totally different drivetrain (so then the Maxima should offer RWD, or maybe AWD?!) but if they are good couldn't they possibly engineer something for the Maxima that would be good as well? Its just alien to me to think they wont for the Maxima.. Its a sports car that features sports car characteristics etc except its transmission that is used in hybrids, all those cars that CVT would be least of your worries. I like the CVT but I think the Maxima is too fast for it. Nissan needs to work harder on that car.

Propa Teknique

I don't know about transmissions in the Z's but I do believe that the Maxima won't be getting another manual one unless they follow in the path of the Juke and make a Nismo version which will of course cost Nismo money.

As far as AWD or RWD, like the many other seasoned Maxima enthusiasts have said in the many posts before, those two options will most probably not be offered for the Maxima.

I wish I knew what was going on in the heads of the designers and engineers or had a robotic fly on the wall to record everything that goes on in those talks of theirs but the fact of the matter is I don't thus we can only go by historical data and speculation. The data shows that manuals didn't sell when they were offered--why continue to market a product that you will not receive a return on?

I think it's important to realize why they switched to a CVT. It's also important to realize that just because Maximas aren't "selling" is not because the car has reached its apex but because the 7th gen has 6 years of the same models in its repertoire and everyone at some point in their lives wants something different, new, fresh, refined, and interesting.

The Maxima is fast--maybe still the fastest in its class and yes it would be nice to have a different transmission now but I think they are doing this for a reason and have plans to make things better and satisfy the tastes of the naysayers. I truly love my 7th Gen and the CVT as I loved my 6th Gen and the 5-speed AT.

Let's just see what Nissan has under their sleeves for the 8th gen.

lightonthehill

Propa Tecknique and jontyrees seeing this clearly. Only way we get a manual Maxima will be if a very special NISMO version of the 8th gen is offered. If that happened, it would probably have a special spoiler, front aerodynamics, special interior and exterior markings, slightly more HP, etc, and would probably be priced around $45K. I think it would sell.

Nissan told us the 8th gen would arrive this year as the 2015 Maxima. The only question in my mind is whether it will arrive in the normal August-September window, or be a little later in the year. I'm sure Nissan would not have said this unless they had fixed the problems with the new CVT being tested in the new Altima and new Pathfinder.

My guess - the 2015 8th gen arrives this September.

If the release were to slip past Thanksgiving, this poses a problem for Nissan. New generations are often announced in the December, January, February window, but very seldom released at that time, as that poses a model year question. A little late for a 2015 release, but a little early for a 2016 release. If we don't have the 8th gen on sale by Thanksgiving, then it will probably be released next spring as a 2016, and we will have a 'short' model year for the 7th gen 2015.

But then Nissan is very careful to swat every single fly that dares land on their conference room walls, so info is very tight.

Propa Teknique

I'm with you on that one. I think they would sell but only because so much time has passed that there wasn't one, many people aren't fans of BMW but still love manuals, and Nismo does rock. People will want to see how they feel once again as they did before. In addition, I'm sure it would look amazing. I've never driven a manual because I don't know how but that's all I hear from my BMW family members--the car keeps you engaged in the driving experience, you have complete control of the "automobile," and you can drive the hell out of the 'ultimate driving machine.'

lightonthehill

You are correct that the demand would be bolstered by not having had a manual Maxima since the 2006 model year, and, although I loved my 6th gen, it was more of a near-luxury sedan than a 4DSC. But a manual in a car such as Nissan's 4DSC concept would rock.

I had my intro to manuals by moving tractors and trailers around on the warehouse lot of the trucking company my uncle owned. Most of that time was spent backing trailers to loading docks. That was back in the 1946 to 1949 time period. Beginning in '49, I was driving a '49 Studebaker sedan with a three speed manual, and I replaced that with a three speed manual 1953 Chevy 210 two door. Automatics were not very efficient in those days. Most folks called them 'slush boxes.' By '55, automatics had improved quite a bit.

My last manual was a 1978 Datsun five speed 200SX coupe, which I drove for six years, then replaced in October of 1984 with two 1985 Maximas (one for the wife) with four speed automatics.

By the time I gave up my manual Datsun, Atlanta traffic was so bad I was shifting around 800 times on the way to work, and about the same on the way home, and seldom exceeding 20 MPH. Some folks may have though that was fun, but I did not. My left leg and right arm stayed sore and cramped, and unending shifting made eating my breakfast while stuck in traffic very awkward.

If I lived in an area with light traffic, I would again be tempted to drive a manual. But areas with light traffic are getting harder and harder to find in eastern America.

Propa Teknique

I liked my 05 Maxima as well. I would not have given it up if the transmission hadn't croaked on me like I'm sure many of the 6th gen ones did to other owners.

It seems you have an amazing repertoire of vehicles you have driven and the fact that you were actually growing up in a time when they were in their humble beginnings afforded you the ability to see them transform and take off before your eyes (pun intended.) I think that is amazing.

I'm excited about the 8th gen, if it's how everyone is speculating I may have to trade in this 7th gen. I wonder how many generations of Maxima will come about...

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Note the years. Goes up sharply around 2000' Take the blinders off

You really want to hang your hopes and dreams on that? You do know they have the GT-R to do that and have the rest of the Infiniti like to take care of the RWD duty right?

Chris Alexander

This updated article said the possibility of 260HP if Nissan makes the 8th gen with only 260 then Nissan's gonna officially be in the pits of fire the only way I can see 260 being innovative is if we rewind the time to 1996 and bring this car to life.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140531206904

lightonthehill

Not to worry.

That article was based on nothing more than things picked up at the Auto Show, and the 260 HP was uninformed hypothesizing not attributed to anyone in particular, and certainly not to any Nissan representative.

Nissan is in business to make money. They may not care about us as humans, but they darn well care about being careful to produce products that will SELL.

You and I both know the only way Nissan puts a 260 HP engine in the new Maxima is if it is tuned or supercharged or turbocharged or hybrid-electricized in a way that gives zero to sixty times below 6 seconds. The entire automotive world would be stunned if Nissan put a 260 HP engine giving a zero to 60 time over 6 seconds in this car. Simply will not happen.

I think the starting point for HP discussion in the new Maxima will be around 300 or 305 HP. Could be more. And zero to 60 time WILL be below 6 seconds.

CS_AR

They might actually produce a manual to keep a foot in the performance door. Cadillac will offer a manual for the CTS-V in 2015.

Nissan needs to keep performance customers (usually more loyal) from drifting into the Dodge Chrysler Fiat showrooms.

What does Nissan have that competes with the Genesis Coupe 6-speed?

On a different slant, Fiats are appearing around town at a surprising rate.

Propa Teknique

For one, the Maxima looks better than the Genesis Coupe BUT I wouldn't compare a coupe to a sedan anyway. Nissan has been around longer Hyundai with a better reputation and despite the fact that they have not introduced a manual in years, loyalty still remains to Nissan from customers (the only ones that aren't loyal are ho** according to Chris Brown)

Seriously though, Dodge and Chrysler are rarely talked about in these forums in terms of performance from what I've seen. I hear more about BMW, Audi, and Cadillac. Of course we don't know the true reasons why a manual will not be produced but one evident and quite plausible theory is that Nissan is in this to make money as @lightonthehill said. They may sell many manuals but on a grand scale they would still come up short in my opinion because as they would run into the same issue as they did before--the hype will surround the introduction of a manual and then only a nominal amount of the interested individuals will purchase. The same premise applies when you have a party and invite 250 who all "plan" to attend but only 25 show up.

You are right however in the fact that they need to keep performance customers but why would they drift to Fiat? They remind me of little mice.

2003MaximaMan

sorry to be captain obvious here but the answer screams 370z. Just that the Genesis is a bit cheaper.

95VQ30

not mention the Z will walk circles around the Hyundai

Chris Alexander

lightonthehill 305 that's a fair deal right there I think it's pretty competitive. I'm thinking this is gonna be a heavy car too since its 75 inches wide. That's pretty wide dude about as wide as an Armada. I dont think they will go beyond 310HP so it doesn't interfere with sales the Q50.

I hope they build it solid and reliable too because the latest gen Altima is already off to a bad start
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Nissan/Altima/2013/

goog67

found this last night... http://www.thenextcars.com/2015-niss...date_2212.html

2015 Nissan Maxima Nismo will get an upgraded 3.5-liter V6 engine with a maximum output of up to 325 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 298 lb-ft of torque 4,400 rpm. Linked to a six-speed manual gearbox, the high-performance Maxima Nismo is claimed to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) in just 5.5 seconds before hitting its top speed at 155 mph (250 km/h). But unfortunately, the car will still use a front engine layout.

Chris Alexander

This 8th gen is gonna be a pretty big car!

Propa Teknique

Isn't the current one over 3,500 lbs already?

Chris Alexander

Propa Teknique yeah but 3500 is light this one is gonna be 75inches wide and 20 inch wheels standard so it's gonna be a little bit heavier. I imagine probably about the size of the current Taurus.

Propa Teknique

The size of the Taurus? No way! How would it regain its throne as the 4DSC if it's the size of a Taurus?

Where did you find out the wheels would be 20" standard?

Chris Alexander

Propa Teknique Did I say 20? oh my bad I meant 21 inch wheels------->http://www.thenextcars.com/2015-niss...date_2212.html

and yeah I agree that is a bit too big Maxima too big is what doomed the 6th gen I say make it about the side of the new Hyundai Genesis.

lightonthehill

The 2015 Maxima may be a few inches wider, but the engine and tranny and most parts will be the same size as before. The wheels will be 'higher', but the tires will have a lower profile with very short sidewalls. The wheels will probably be fairly light for their size, as unsprung weight is more difficult to manage, ride-wise.

Manufacturers are constantly fiinding ways to cut down weight while giving more interior room. I will be surprised if the new Maxima is over 3725 pounds. That may sound like a lot, but many SUVs out there weigh between 6000 and 8000 pounds. My 7th gen with premium and tech packages is right at 3600 pounds. We need to remember that this is a near-luxury sporty sedan, not the simple '4DSC' of earlier Maxima days.

The 21 inch wheels may only be on the NISMO version. I expect the wheels on the regular 2015 Maxima to be around 19 inches, but 20 inches would not surprise me.

The camo versions have doubtlessly been on the road for some time now, and I expect to see a photo of one posted here any day. Folks in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Nashville should be on the lookout.

lightonthehill

With the 7th gen being at 290 HP, and the 2015 NISMO version being at 225 HP, that should tell us that the 2015 regular Maxima will have between 300 and 310 HP. A guess of 305 would probably be very close. That should give a zero to 60 of around 5.7 or 5.8 seconds, and would be an ideal compromise between power and efficiency for a FWD vehicle.

Chris Alexander

lightonthehill If Nissan goes 305 on the 8th gen then that will be a fair deal at the end of the day its not too little or not too much 305 is just right and competitive. The low profile thing after a while you get used to it. I have low profile 22s the first few months I was a bit on edge riding on those I had to learn how. I learned to just stay on the freeway and out of the city that does the pothole trick 90% it won't be a problem but you have people who always nit pick on low profile tires

Garrettz459

This is concept but I sure hope it won't be look like this one!

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

Nissan said it WILL. to you

lightonthehill

Granted, this is a fairly 'out there' design. But if we have learned anything about the Maxima over the last thirty years, it is that Nissan stays a little ahead in their Maxima styling, and invariably, the public seems to like each generation's design even more the second and third years after each new generation is released.

I have studied this Nissan 4Door sedan concept from every angle (there are hundreds of photos and lots of film of it on various sites), and find it will be an absolutely perfect fit for my lifestyle. I will be getting it in a conservative white with the premium package (whatever that package will be called on the 8th gen), and will feel very comfortable driving that car anywhere.

Let the fun begin.

Propa Teknique

KMSL! Should have had a V8!

I'll definitely take mine in a white and I HOPE that there is a panoramic roof or some type of roof that remains black with bigger than standard sunroof. If they have 20's I would be interested to see how they look. I saw pictures of the interior of the concept and the in dash screen was monochrome. Everyone talks about how the Max will 90% of the concept but no one mentions the interior. What do you think the interior will be like?

Chris Alexander

no one around here is ready for a Maxima with a V8 the world aint ready for a V8 Maxima . If Nissan was gonna do that they would have conjoined with the Infiniti M on engine/platform along time ago.

The only advantage a V8 Maxima would have is knocking the Genesis out in competition it would have to be 8 with good efficiency 19 city 26 highway at least.

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

I think his "should had a v8" comment was in reference to the V8 juice drink commercial when someone says something stupid and gets popped in the forehead...since I quoted someone saying something stupid.

Chris Alexander

Amerikaner83 what I meant was a V8 some of us desire it but it probably wouldn't be appropriate for fuel economy unless you could produce one that can achieve 30 MPG. If Nissan said we are gonna make a V8 Maxima and do over 30 mpg in fuel numbers then you'd have a winner. a V8 Maxima might do too much interference with some of our products over at Infiniti


V8 juice drink lol man thats funny.

famouspork

http://www.worldcarwallpapers.com/ne...-concept-2014/



that is what i'm hoping to see on the road.

famouspork

CVT..uuugh

Chris Alexander

famouspork I wish Nissan would go 7speed on the 8th gen bro but that will never happen of course it might offer a performance gain but still these days auto manufacturers are so focused on cost cutting none of these cars are built solid anymore!

lightonthehill

All views of the concept sedan taken from above showed a blackened panoramic roof. The base 8th gen may or may not have such a roof, but I'm sure there will be one or more upscale versions with black panoramic roofs.

As to the interior, I think it will be very similar to the interior of the concept car. Of course there will be some changes, because the last time I looked at the steering wheel of the concept car, there were no audio/cruise control buttons. I think we can be assured we will have those on our 8th gen.

It is good that there will be a rear view camera standard on every 8th gen Maxima from base to top of the line. At my creaky old age, I really rely on my rear view camera every day.