I didn't get that memo. Can you forward that Nissan statement to me?

 

I'm just waiting for the Skyline that's supposedly coming to the states.

 

The Maxima in its 23 years of production has always had 6 cylinders. I will be amazed if this changes. It has been RWD (also diesel for that matter), but I doubt that they will go for more of a performance angle on it.

The camry and accord have had 4 cylinder and V6 options for years. Nissan stayed with the Sentra/Altima/Maxima line up throughout the 90s, but they are changing the market branches the cars are shooting for. The Nissan reps finally realized that nissan should compete with Honda on their own terms, the 6 cylinder, rather than on Honda's terms, the 4 cylinder. The Sentra although is a good car doesn't do as well as the Civic. Type R stickers always out sell SE-R.

However instead of making the maxima into a more entry level mid sized car and more sporty they took the confused middle child the altima and gave it a better market niche. Thus the SE-R Altima and the more sporty design. Then they took the Maxima and made it into the more elite luxorious boat car. It is still the flagship so to speak just different kind of flagship.

I will probably wait until they bring the GT-R back into production. The Skyline is here. The G35 is the Skyline in Japan. It is just not turbo yet. Not all of them were for the R3x generations.

 

Right here on their website: Nissan Maxima - A flagship inspired by enthusiasts

 

Didn't the Pathfinder start the 3.5vq trend, 240hp? Then Max, Alty, G35, I35, Murano, etc came with a 3.5. Now isn't the Pathy getting a 4.0vq? Will that mean everything else will too? Mmmmmmmmmm G40 coupe with like 320 rwhp!

 

Umm, that refutes bru91's statement, not proves it.

 

By "a" flagship they mean it's already made its mark as that role in the past. Notice how they didn't say "the" flagship. They're doing it slowly but surely, to test the waters because they don't know how well it will work. They don't want to look stupid in public if they announce it and make a big deal of this new plan only to have it fail. Look at the size of the Altima, it is meant to compete with the Accord and Camry, like the Maxima used to. The Altima took the Maxima's place in Nissan's lineup as soon as they put the VQ in it. The 6th gen's wheel base is so long that it doesn't even technically qualify as a compact car anymore. I'm not pulling this stuff out of my rear, this is what people who work for Nissan have told me, i'm just sharing what they said, thats all. Don't kill the messenger lol.

 

That was the idea.

 

If you think already which cars are in the same category here are just a few:

Sentra - compact car:
Subaru Impreza
Toyota Corolla
Honda Civic
Dodge Neon
Volkswagon Jetta (4cyl)

Altima V6 - mid-size car (Maxima almost falls in the same category):
Toyota Camry V6
Honda Accord V6
Volkswagon Jetta VR6
Mazda Mazda6 – V6

Maxima - full-size car:
Volkswagon Passat
Acura TL
Audi A4
Toyota Avalon

All are very good competitors if not better than the competition. Perhaps not in sales but otherwise they are.

 

All i'm saying is that the 3.5 Altima is now what the Maxima used to be. Nissan may not come right out and advertise the Altima as its flagship, but if it's at the place where the Maxima used to be, then what is it? Yes, Nissan still advertises the Maxima as a flagship only because the name is associated with that, and this is the first body style that changed the Maxima's class so they stick with the advertising that worked in the past to be safe. You don't have to believe me, i'm just telling you what people from Nissan told me, that's all.

 

What Nissan people would that be? the salesmen or the parts department.
Flagship will always be the biggest, doesn't have to be fatest, more refined car in the line-up. Maxima has it hands down.

 

I have a friend who works in marketing for Nissan. I guess if you look at the flagship as the biggest, top of the line sedan than yes the Maxima would be it. I was thinking that the Altima kinda took the Maxima's old place and the flagship title with it, but i guess it's all about how you look at it.

 

i mean ur right no doubt about the altima filling in on the maxima's spot of "4dsc", but i do think that nissan is putting more marketing into the altima.

 

Yeah you're right.

 

my guess, is they keep wanting to add power to the max, but theres only so much before it cant be fwd anymore and so they change it to all-wheel drive, but i have a hard time imagining that, they could just not change it, its been the same car for over 20 yrs. the max is in such a precarious(uhhh) position, i see those jelous looks from the max to the altima. When you fully load an altima and fully load a max, they r pretty darn close. I dont know another company with two different models so close to each other, its funny. theyre like twins, the non-identical kind. The max has the more tame upscale image though, which altima does not, so thats why the max is gonna be around, for a bit at least
my .02

 

Still...
How the heck did you changed your Screen name? Donating members have that power?

 

There are still people who will prefer the looks of the 6th gen max to the new sporty altima...

 

That's a splendid idea here. They could just take some great styling clues from each generation what was great about them and fused into a concept and see how it would look. Ford are doing it already, look at the 05' Mustang. A few other car manufacturer are doing something that would be some retro styling.

 

They should have stuck the 4th gens and up with an AWD system. FWD with a flagship car? I dunno.

 

I seriously doubt they would make the Altima into a flag ship, when people buy a car they look at the cars history, they see the Altima as a little beater car.
I think they will stay with the max as there flagship just as they always did,

The Altima SE-r is just and alternative cheap version of the Maxima. but with the production of the skyline, and when the GTR finally comese out somewhere in 07, it throws everything into a mix

I think Nissan saw how there product (the 6th gen) barley sold compared to the other Gens they realised they need a design change earlier then expected(the usual of 4 years) So I think the new maxima based on these events Nissan will change the Maxipad, to Maxima back to how it once was(that is if Nissan Isint running on retardo logic)


---Ninos

 

What??

The Altima replaces the Maxima when it comes to representing the ideals of the 4DSC, but it does not supplant it as the flagship.
Which car is bigger, more feature-technology laden, more luxurious, etc. - the Maxima.
We had the same debate in Other Cars, where someone maintained that BMW's flagship is the upcoming M5. That's not the case, the flagship designation belongs to the V12 760Li.

 

Yeah if you're talking about the top of the line car, then yes it is the Maxima. The Maxima is now meant to compete with the TL and Solara, more of a luxury car. The Altima is now competing with the Accord and Camry, like the Maxima used to. Wouldn't you say that the Camry is Toyota's flagship? It's the most popular car in the country. But is it the biggest or top of the line car in the lineup? No, the Solara is, which is the Maxima's competitor. So if Toyota's flagship is the Camry, wouldn't Nissan's flagship be the Camry's competitor, the Altima? The Maxima's role has shifted. Also, whats the incentive for a buyer to buy a Maxima versus a fully loaded 3.5 Altima? Or better yet, whats the incentive for a buyer to buy a Maxima versus an Infiniti G35 sedan?

 

Top-of-the-line sedan generally equals flagship.

Given by my previous answer, you can already assume that Avalon is Toyota's flagship, not the Solara. Sales numbers have nothing to do with flagship status.

Furthermore, the Maxima does not compete directly with either those cars.

Which cars do you believe are the flagships of Lexus & Infiniti?

 

Like i said if the flagship equals top of the line sedan, than yes it is the Maxima you are right. I thought it was the most popular car in the lineup but i guess i am wrong. Lexus's flasgship is the LS430 and Infiniti's is the Q45.

 

I seriously doubt though that the maxima will ever end up as V8 RWD or AWD unless its main competitors (Honda, Toyota, etc) come out with that type of platform. Common now, the only flagships that are V8 and rwd (EXCEPT for the crown vic and its twin) will be the luxury models; infiniti, bmw, lexus, benz, and so on.

 

yeh thats what im saying, i just hope it dont cost the same.

 

You guys are way to sensitive.

 

That would also be me joking with them. I know most all of what I posted is already in affect, but what I was actually pointing out on what might become of the next Maxima generation, which I will once again say that it looks as if it is already happening.

 

I look at the flagship as the one the company calls "the flagship" in all their company literature.

You could call the vanagon VW's flagship but they're not going to agree. You can call the altima the flagship but you'll be the only one at the meeting.

 

 

If they are really changing the maxima sooner (7th gen), then why don't we have some kind of concept version, drawing whatever just to see what it looks like?

 

Because they don't ask the org for our opinion before they change the car.
.... that should have been obvious with what they did to the 6th gen

 

O man they should do that, We are the most outstanding Maxima Comunity, So they should defin take our opinion, We have all kinds of Maxima owners here, Performance tuners, show car people, regular maxima drivers even

 

And they sell ~90,000 / year. We're insignificant.