I Read this info over at autonews the article is dated 7-16-01 so I don't know why I didn't see it sooner. The article is mainly about the new altima but the interview asks how this will affect the next Max due out in ~18 months. I'll quote the response below if you don't wanna follow the link to the article. Sorry if this is old info, just thought i'd share.


"What will the next Maxima be like?"

"The new platform is more flexible, and there's a four-wheel-drive variant available. We know that
sportiness is key to Maxima's heritage, and we will not lose that feel. There will be a more pleasurable feel of sportiness with luxury. We have to move up"

 

Huh...why don't htey just bring the frickin' skyline over here? edit: sorry, now it's just theGT-R

 

If that is to be true I will definitely be getting one.

 

wahoo AWD on a max. hopefully i get one or a imported GT-R

 

AWD?? Next thing you know the next Maxima will have a V10 engine, convertible top, and 19" wheels.


Oh well, let the rumors fly.

 

<sarcasm>
Oh my God!! The next Max will be a turbocharged convertible AWD V10 with 19" rims!?!?! I'm definitely waiting for that!!
</sarcasm>

Okay, I added the turbocharged thing.

 

Is that the production version of the z car????

 

This info comes from the chief product specialist for Altima, who obviously works very closely with the chief product specialist for Maxima. You can maybe say that the AWD may be on the wish list of specs for the Max, but to say it is a rumor is incorrect.

It is amazing that some people will believe information from "a friend of a friend who knows someone who works at a dealer" and not someone who is reputable.

 

Exactly why I have not responded to any of the sarcastic posts. This is as close to any real info that I have been able to find, it ain't much but it is another piece to the puzzle. I wonder if we will get a concept preview at one of the Fall Auto shows

 

Ever see that commercial where a boyfriend stands up at the dinner table while at his girlfriend's family's home, and taps the glass and says he has an announcement? "Gail, is getting a haircut." Then the commercial says, that's not news.

Why is AWD something to get happy happy about? Every Subaru has it, it's 2 grand and change extra on a MBenz. It's more moving parts, heavier, and higher maintenance. Maxima has already said goodbye to any 0-60 times in the 6's, do they want to say goodbye to the 8's? RWD would be something to be happy about. Or even an independent rear suspension. So many think that AWD rids the car of the FWD handling, not so. An AWD BMW still whips a FWD/AWD. A RWD car whips it like there's no tomorrow.

 

The new _platform_ has an AWD variant.
Meaning that a car like let's say the next GT-R could share the platform and be AWD, or a new X-Terra could use it.
That doesn't mean that the Maxima would get it.
It's probably possible that using the same platform the Maxima could be FWD and the G35 could be RWD.

 

because probably all Canadian maxima owner wants one to battle the SUVs in snow. At least I do, I drove a GMC safari AWD in snow, AWD was awsome I loved it (not the truck)

 

forgot to mention I'm more then willing to give up a second in 0-60 time for that additional safety reasons, when SUV behind you can't stop you gotta run, it happened last winter, I saw GC coming and trying to brake adn turning steering wheel left and right I tried to get out, took a couple seconds to get it moving to 5mph, the guy then turn left and slightly bumped my rear bumper

 

If the new Maxima were to get this new "platform", then it surely wouldn't be competing with the Accord or Camry anymore. What would the Maxima's competition be?

It seems like Nissan is moving the Maxima into a different class and then the Altima will move up and be where the Maxima previously was.

I don't know about you guys, but if the Maxima gets AWD, it means more $$$. That is more $$$ that I don't have, which means I'll have to settle for the new Altima SE.

-Nick

 

I don't think you understand AWD systems very well. It all depends on the torque split between the front/rear. You can make it act like a fwd or rwd. It also depends on how fast the car is set up to transfer the power and how much power is transfered. Hell we aren't even into side to side lsd yet.

RWD is only good for ultimate sports cars that can take advantage of rwd. Otherwise rwd drive suck in the rain and suck even more in the snow. Also 99% of the poplulation can't drive well enough(or control) rwd oversteer anyway.

If you only concerned about what awd will do to the 0-60 and 1/4 mile times, then having a maxima is not really your car. You should have bought a Buick Grand National or a BMW E36 M3.

 

Before the pot calls the kettle black, here's what I would suggest:

research some AWD vehicles and see what you can find out, both about weight distribution and how the diff works front/rear:

E class
E46
Volvo
Subaru
Audi A6
Carrerra 4

Now if you can't see the obvious, email me and I'll tell ya. Ha det! *lol* tssssssssssssss........

 

No one else does research, why don't you tell me.

try not to double post next time.

 

Who says anything about being happy? My only point was the the info came from a reputable source. As for 0-60 times, really, who gives a f*ck? Get with the times. There are many more important things to consider other than 0-60 times.

 

Amen. To this day, having read many posts from this site, I still do not understand why people interested in only 0-60 times as the end all, be all, went ahead and purchase a Max.

 

1. the next gt-r will either share the skyline platform or a completely new platform.

2. x-terra does not and will not ever share a platform with max and altima.

3. g35 uses the skyline platform. maxima uses the altima platform.

4. the only model/variant using the altima platform is maxima.

 

I actually think AWD is something to get excited about. Wasn't the 330iX actually faster than the 330i? Hmm, extra weight in favor of extra traction. Hmmmm. I'll take awd in favor of rwd any day. If it does happen, I just hope they don't jack it up(make it higher off the ground/lift the suspension/whatever you call it) like they did with the awd Bimmer.

I see the 260 hp Maxima in the 6.0 flat 0-60 time(possibly less). An awd system would surely knock off some of that time. This would really put the Maxima into it's own niche and the WRX/A4 are the only conceivable comparisons.

Zam

 

Note that I used the cars mentioned as a hypothetical example. My point being that just because any platform has an awd variant doesn't mean that every car that uses it will have an awd version.

I'm as curious as the next .org member about gen 6, but I haven't read any consistent info about it or it's platform.
Info has ranged from using the vq in a q45 body to removing it from the lineup.

The XVL platform seems to be cut out for a few Nissan/Infiniti models, but apparently not for our car.

Any links giving details appreciated.

 

I was at my local dealership yesterday getting some parts and I was talking with the service guys(I never talk to the salesmen because they will tell you want you want to hear). But anyway, they said they are not sure what all the different options are going to be for the 6-Speed Max yet. They know they aren't getting any in for a long time and actually think it is going to come out as a 2002 1/2. So with everyhting still up in the air and so many possibilities why not AWD.
BTW, the AWD Jaguar X-Type has 60/40 split power between the back and front with limited slip. At 231 hp and aound 220 lbs/ft of torque(I think) with a 6-Speed and weighing in at around 3400 lbs that should be pretty good at the 0-60 times. If the Max could do something similar I bet they would be good competition. Also, the Jag is going to be $35k. I wonder where the Max would be? Just thinking out loud.

 

Personally,

AWD is a big selling point for me and something I want in my next vehicle. For safety reasons as well as other reasons There is more to life than straight line acceleration, and I have no intention of living from stop light to stop light. My area has great highways and back roads that are used by practically no one, its a great area to really get to know the limits of your car. To the poster who said that AWD is always slower than RWD, not in the rain its not. Knowing the performance of cars like the 911 Turbo, WRX, 330Xi etc, I can only assume that you are talking out of your ****


Peace,

 

Let's do the Cliffs notes version *lol*

FWD car with AWD available--handling = FWD

RWD car with AWD available--handling = RWD

the two do not behave the same way. under normal driving most torque goes to the conventional drive wheels. you see cuz? 330 and Carerra are not comparable because they are rear drivers with AWD. i really didn't think anyone here would need it spelled out so plainly, we have to assume a certain level of knowledge on the board *lol*

 

Do the long winded version for me.

 

OK, now we know you are talking out of your ****. As someone already brought up, the X-type has AWD. It was built off the front wheel drive Ford Mondeo platform that is FWD. Jag did not like the idea of having FWD in their car so they gave it AWD with a Rear bias (60/40 split). This makes the car feel like it is rear-wheel.

Also, have you ever driven a AWD car?? I've driven the WRX and I can tell you that you're not going to get that handling out of a FWD car.

My friend got a rental legacy wagon (base) so we took the opportunity to test it's limits. When you push this thing into a corner it tracks perfectly neutral (no understeer or oversteer, but tires squealing like mad). And when you push it over its limits (stock crappy tires) it even oversteers.

I don't know where you're getting your information from but why don't you back yourself up with some reliable sources?

AWD on a maxima would be a big thing for me living in Toronto. FWD sometimes just doesn't cut it in the snow.

 

Actually the 330ci is a few tenths of a second faster than the xi

 

Oh, oh, oh!!! I think someone just got back slapped Nice job Black96se. Very good point about the Jag x-type. It's just like I was trying to explain. It all depends on how the maker sets up the torque split. Not how the car was designed orignally.

I don't think the Scuby really counts in his case becuase it's awd from the get go. But it counts in this whole thread becuase of how the torque split is set up from the factory.

For our friend here, if the maxima is awd, there's not way to tell from which platform it would derive. Also it doesn't matter anyway becuase as Black96se has so clearly proven, even a transverse mounted fwd platform can be made to handle anyway the maker wants.

 

I don't see anywhere in the article which suggests strongly that the new Maxima will be AWD. Just because a platform has AWD doesn't mean a car built on it will definitely have AWD. Based on what I read, there is still no definite proof.

Here's how I interpret that last paragraph of the article as. It says the Altima platform has an AWD variant. Well great. Look at VW's platform that it uses among Jetta, Golf, A4, Beetle, etc..etc... the A4 is the only car among them that has AWD. So, if an Audi engineer says the next Jetta will be based on the same platform of the new 2002 A4, does that mean the Jetta will have AWD or Quattro?? Not at all. So, that is why I see little relation between Maxima and AWD based on the article.

 

Yea AWD sucks.

That's why the skyline, which just happens to be AWD, was so dominate in the Japan Touring Car series that it was given it's own series.

Yea, AWD sucks.

 

thats why we all drive maximas because we know AWD sucks

 

Just for you Introduction to All Wheel Drive systems be sure to visit the wonderfully informative links at the bottom of the page.


Peace

 

The question was, "What will the next Maxima be like?". What the heck do you think they were talking about?

 

Just for reference, the VWs have the option of a different AWD system, called 4motion. It is not the same as the quattro, and to be honest, I've heard it sucks, but it does exist, they just don't sell it here.

Lee DeVine

 

The new Passat is available w/ "4-motion" now. What's the difference between the two audi-vw's versions?

 

Or the S4... that's available as awd isn't it?

 

You just had to ask:

http://google.yahoo.com/bin/query?p=...n=25&hc=0&hs=0

Enjoy!