I mean really, it makes me think why didn't they just put the 280 HP VQ in the Max and create a 360 HP TT VQ for the new Z.

As for the Altima, they could have left it where it was in the class lineup.

I should add the the G35 is supposed to get the 280 horses.

Marketing, marketing and marketing.

Ask yourself why BMW has everthing from a 323 to 330I for their 3 series?

It may be marketing, but the power differneces ARE real with the 3.5L vq. The 3.5Lvq in the new z was a WAY different intake manifold than either the altima or maixma. The manifold actual comes up from the back of the engine the way the current engine is, BUT THE Z IS RWD. I'll post a pic later when i get home.

Mike S.

I was going to add something about the German giants (Merc and BMW). I mean those 2 have so many engines to go around and I don't think one of them would be a bad choice. What I do like about Merc and BMW is that they're not scared to put almost 400 HP (or more) in a midsized sedan or a small coupe. Nissan should get busy.

true, but those 350-400hp beasts are nearly TWICE the cost of a maxima......how much is a M5? E55? 80K? Thats 3 maximas.

Nissan is leading the "lower level" HP race.

The HP is not the sole reason why those cars are so expensive though. I used to drive an S320 for a limo company I worked for and if you see what those cars have in them, you'll understand why they cost so much. The handleing and the comfort can't even be described.

Nissan can build anything they desire. Question is will someone buy a 80k Nissan? Nope.

Hell look at the dismal sales of the Q45. Matches Lexus in almost every way. But it gets killed. That's Nissan though. Takes chances in styling then get killed in sales. They should just build Mercedes clones like Lexus and be done with it.

Its funny I thought I was the only one who notices that about Toyota. They bite Merc very hard.

See VW is trying to sell a very expensive Passat, then we will see if people will go for a $80K Nissan....

Marketing and cost control!

And that W8 is a sick engine.

Yeah but they're rear wheel drive and drive like a dream. Max is already chassis stressed at 222 because of econocar fwd.

wdave

Infiniti stated 255 HP in there last email thingy.

yah, just wait until the W12 comes out. Now THAT'S sick!

Don't you remember that article I posted about the G35? It was stalking about the class the G35 would be in and the power ratings. Do you have another article?

I wouldn't even spend $30K on a new Nissan. It'd be better for me to add a few $Ks and get a used MB or BMW.

You have to give Nissan a chance. Hear them out. Think about those 400 hp sedans and coupes from BMW and Merc. They all started out as lesser horsepower variants that didn't get the big engine and sport packages until there 3rd year of production. Nissan is taking a stance on pushing the VQ into new sedans (Altima 240hp, Maxima 255hp) Now lets give them a chance to sell these cars and in a year or two improve the breed. Nothing happens overnight, and lets not forget the Carlos Ghosn (sp?) is a true enthusiast. We've got the Altima stirring up tons of press and you guys still aren't happy. The Maxima got a 6 speed gear box (near the end of its product run) and you guys still aren't happy. Imagine what the next Maxima will be like, its got to be an improvement over the existing model. Show me another car manufacturer with the exception of BMW that offers a 6 speed transmission in its sedans! I'm all for the simple concept with which Nissan is introducing the new Z. Make it simple, if the public gobbles it up be sure to look for more sporty packages offering bigger horsepower and better handling.

Sometimes I swear you guys have no faith. Everyone wants to run and buy a BMW. Well spend your money wisely because upcoming Nissan products are looking very promising.

I hear what your say but my argument is that they show us that the VQ is capable of handling big horsepower jumps and it seems to me like they are saying the VQ can't handle more than 240 horses then they come out with the 255 and 280 HP models. So like I was saying earlier, why don't they just pull ahead of the competition with the 280 HP in the Maxima and produce the TT version for the Z. As a customer of Nissan, this would make me happier and I think a lot of other Nissan buyers would agree with me.

What about the quad turbo W16 that bugatti is putting in their supercar, 1000HP

I would buy another Maxima if it had a turbo.

I agree, they should just take the initiative and floor the competition by pulling out all stops and make all of the new models with big horsepower and handling but it isn't good business sense. See, people like you and I (enthusiasts) make up a small percentage of sales. Very small! Probably about 5-10 percent of us buy these super sporty models. In order for Nissan to stay afloat amongst these tough economic times its got be just a bit conservative. Now I personally think their strategy is pretty good. They've got a killer value in the Sentra SE-R V-spec a sporty compact that will run circles around the Honda Civic said to be the class leader. They've got a killer in the Altima more roomy and more performance than either Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. And the Maxima is the last of the Nissan fleet to really be updated. Lets admit that the 5th gen is really a bloated 4th gen. The Z will be a great start, and if it does as well as the original Z or as well as the last Z did when it was introduced (89-90) then they've done pretty good. Not to mention all of the above cars are all under $30K. BMW and Mercedes probably have one model under $30K.

Not bad for a struggling Japanese automobile manufacturer.

I honestly don't want to think what the insurance rates are on a max with 280 horses from the factory. I would think it would be cheaper to swallow my pride an buy a camaro or a mustang. I think that if Subaru's WRX can put out those kind of numbers ( performance & price) why can't Nissan take the Altima, Sentra, & the Maxima to the next level. One question? do you think the Skyline GTR would be brought over to compete w/ the NSX?

I honestly don't want to think what the insurance rates are on a max with 280 horses from the factory. I would think it would be cheaper to swallow my pride an buy a camaro or a mustang. I think that if Subaru's WRX can put out those kind of numbers ( performance & price) why can't Nissan take the Altima, Sentra, & the Maxima to the next level. One question? do you think the Skyline GTR would be brought over to compete w/ the NSX?

Infiniti sent out a new's letter about a month ago with the newest info, 255 HP and a standard auto was clearly stated. I read the article you posted and there HP #'s along with all the other car mags was just speculation. Of course # could change between now and April. I will try to find the news letter I am talking about.

Rumomr has it that the 350ZX is going to get an even higher tuned HP output; pushing on 300HP.

There are also grumbles about the new 400+ HP American Skyline that's getting a V8. This engine would be put into an upgrade production model of the 350 and called the ZX-R.

Now wouldn't that be nice?

It's only in Europe that it goes over 1000 hp, here in the US, it's a paltry 980something....

how heavy is that thing?

Bugatti 16-4 Veyron
Yes, we've seen this car before, but at Geneva production was confirmed for the 2003 model year. Ferdinand Piech has decided to build the world's fastest and most powerful car. In the end, that was the only car for which a business case could be made -- it's too hard to add enough prestige and ostentation to a sedan, but folks will pay top dollar (expect a pricetag upwards of $750k) for the fastest/best of anything. Power will come from an 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16 engine, and is rated at 987 hp (that's an even 1001 measured on the European din horsepower scale). Torque? Yes! 923 pound-feet's worth. The car will be built in a new factory that will be located alongside the Bugatti homestead, chateau St. Jean, near Molsheim France, almost 50 years since the last Bugattis rolled of the line.

******************

I couldn't find a weight. But I'm sure a better search would reveal it....

Was that they had engine/chassis optimization. The 1st and 2nd generation Altimas for example, only had one engine. Sure the KA wasn't all that great, but the chassis was optimized for it.
When manufacturers like MB and BMW use tons of engines just for one chassis, it usually can't handle the top-level engine that is introduced years later. Especially in the case of the BMW 5-series. We get a 2.5L and 3L inline 6 cylinders, and then 4L and 4.4L V8s. That's just for the US! There's 2L and 3L diesel I6s, and at least another gasoline I6 available in Europe. That makes for a total of seven engines for one chassis! The M5 wasn't released until '00 in Europe(the 5-series made its debut in '97), and its highly doubtful that the engineers designed the chassis with the 400hp 4.4L V8 in mind. Thus, you end up with a chassis that can't properly handle that engine.

I'm kinda worried that Nissan is starting to take this path too. First its two engines(three really, but the SR isn't used anymore) in the Sentra and Altima, and soon it'll be 4 or 5.

Well, I guess the current chassis wouldn't handle 280HP well, at least for stock.

I heard that the M5 handles waaaaaay better than almost any sedan out there and it has the same chassis as the 5 series, just a little modified. Nissan makes decent chassis but they are not the best. The Maxima chassis kinda sucks and the same for the Sentra. BMW is the chassis king. They know how to build cars well.

hmmmmm. The Maxima chassis isn't that bad.... But then again, it can't be compared to a BMW's, which is much stiffer and better built, but then again costs more than double the price of a max. Just be satisfied of what you're getting in your Max, it's no M5 killer, but it does rape any other car in it's class and most cars above it's class........

How much for a Bimmer than will rape a 6-speed max?........ That's what i though

Well, the point of this thread really is gear toward why there are 3 different power ratings being sold inthe 3.5 VQ.

It's all about reducing costs.

Instead of building three completely different engines, just tool up the factory to build only one engine but vary the intake and a few other minor changes and voila...

Same princable as the Corvette and the Camaro. If they both had the same LS1 then whould you spend twice the money on a Corvette? The Maxima and Altima only have a few thousand seperating them, they need to be able to set the Maxima apart from the Altima to justify the price difference.