issa3032

Many of us have seen the 2004 Maxima spy shots but we still don't know much about the engine or if it is FWD or RWD. Let me tell you my theory. Nissan has pretty much stated that the Infiniti I35 is going to be discontinued for the 2004 model year. This is important because the I35 was just a rebadged Maxima. As a replacement for the I35, Infiniti is going to release an M45(A car some of you refer to as a grandpa car). Nevertheless, this car is going to have the Infiniti Q45 engine and RWD. This leads me to the conclusion that the 2004 Maxima will also have a Q45 engine with RWD. Tell me what you think.

snootalope

I for one think the Maxima itself is starting to turn into a "grandpa car" just by appearence. Some of you might hate me for saying that, but really, the sporty look seems to be fading.. The juice under the hood is without a doubt steadily increasing.. I think that would be pretty cool and yet a good change, the RWD. I was talking to a gear head the other day who told me if my Max was RWD it would "zip right off the line and scoot" so whatever.. Does anyone have a link to the 2004 photos???

FameMax

i dunno, lets look back, QX4=Pathfinder, I30(5)=Maxima, G20=Old Altima, 350Z=G35 Coupe, but the G35 isnt that similar to the new altima, and the Q45 has no nissan counter part, Infiniti and Nissan are trying to grow father apart, but ur right about the M45 with RWD, its very possible for the Maxima, I dont think it will be AWD. But the M45 looks like A$$, I hope its not a preview of the new max

straight six

I think the 04 Max will remain FWD with an AWD option later on in the product cycle. We know Infiniti is moving to an all RWD lineup but Nissan is in business to compete with Toyota/Honda/VW and domestic models. VW released the Passat W8 which kind of changed things in this segment but I don't think the other automakers are going to follow suit. Honda is scraping plans to make any type of V8 engine. I am hoping the 04 is not as large as the photos suggest, a sport sedan can only be soo big and still be a complete package. Many say the Altima is replacing the Max as the sporty sedan, but I just don't see it, its the value leader built to appeal to as many buyers as possible. An old quote I posted early last year from a Nissan Engineer stated that "the Maxima will be differentiated from the Altima not so much in size, but in power and trim." The article has since been deleted but that scenario makes the most sense to me. If not, there is a Super Black G35 6-spd sedan in my future.

pocketrocket

iTrader: (1)

Maybe my understanding of rebadged is different from you, and possibly even wrong but:

The I35 is NOT a rebadged Maxima.
The M45 IS a rebadged Nissan, just as the G35 is a rebadged Nissan.

gepetto

I also think the Maxima has been going into "grandpa mode" with its chubbier body etc etc. I don't know where they plan to take the new Maxima, but my guess is its not back down to the sporty midsize sedan that is pre2000. i guess we'll just have to wait and find out

issa3032

How can you say that the I35 is not a rebadged Maxima. If you look at the Maxima sold in Europe and the rest of the world, it is identical in design and looks to America's I30. The 3.5 L Engine is not yet available in Europe.

straight six

You are a little off, Infiniti is primarily a US entity. The I35 is mechanically a Maxima, it has few mechanical differences if any and has different sheet metal. The M45 does not have a Nissan equivalent in the states, to me it looks like they simply slapped a new front end on the last generation Q45. You are right in the G35 and M45 being rebadged Nissans because as I said above, Infiniti is a US entity, these cars are Nissans in most other parts of the world.......

Padsy

iTrader: (1)

I think I will agree

pocketrocket

iTrader: (1)

Maybe I should clarify. To me, rebadged is when you take the IDENTICAL car and slap on a different emblem and brand.

Taking the 5th gen Maxima as an example, the sheet metal is so different I would hardly call it rebadged. In the case of the 4th gen, I would say it is rebadged because of the sheet metal similarities and minor front and rear end changes. The Samsung 'clone' of the Cefiro/Maxima I would not consider rebadged.

Actually, the M45 does exist as a Nissan Gloria and that's why I say it's rebadged.

I agree that the cars share a lot of similarities (platform, powertrain, etc) but with manufacturers using the same parts bin for a variety of cars, it doesn't make sense to say that they're the same vehicle, just rebagded? Take G35 coupe and the new Z, same platform, many shared parts including powertrain, different sheet metal. Is the G35 coupe a rebadged Z? I think not.

Maybe my interpretation of 'rebadged' is different?

190hpKiLLA

iTrader: (11)

I think yes!

pocketrocket

iTrader: (1)

So I'll buy a Z, and sell it for $10k more as a G35 coupe. You wanna buy?

SLC I30t

iTrader: (1)

I don't see Nissan throwing out its Infiniti name to have its premium car as an equivalant to the maxima. I don't see how you can compare a 50+k car to a 23k car. Yes the I35 is a rebadged Maxima, in the sense that they are cousins as the I30 was to the Maxima. The G20 isn't an old altima its a primera. I think if anything, knowing that the G35 is replacing the I35, that you will see more similarities to the G35 in the new maxima.. By your theory-sir

issa3032

Haven't you heard that the Maxima price is going up big time. They want to have Altima at the same price range of the Camry and Accord. The Maxima is expected to only sell 40,000 cars next year because of the higher price. Nissan wants to make the Maxima a rarer car. They are betting that the Altima is going to bring them back to major profit. They expect to sell 275000 Altimas. That is why they want to make the Maxima more expensive. They want people that would normally buy Maximas to buy Altimas(There is a bigger profit margin on Altimas as well because they are cheaper to manufacture).

FameMax

wait, wait, wait, 50k> are u talkin about the Q45? b/c even that might not be 50K, there is currently no Nissan/Infiniti in the states that is 50k, if u were talkin about the I35, thats more like 30-33k, and maxima is 24-28k i belive, where did 50k come from

MaXtUneD

iTrader: (2)

I work at a maxima dealer and i got shots of the new 04 maxima and yes it is RWD..and there is going to be an optional V8 engine.simliar to the q45

y sleep

Are you positive it will be RWD? I spoke to a dealership owner recently and he did not seem to have that information. I hope you are right, but I remain skeptical for now.

MaXtUneD

iTrader: (2)

i am a 100 percent sure that it will be RWD.....the crank has 300 hp while the torque has 290...this is 100 percent info...

SLC I30t

iTrader: (1)

Q45-I guess since this is all specualtion, we can assume anything. I'm not sure where a lot of people "say" they get there information, but I've been on the .org long enough to see that 80%+ is nothing more then rumor. So if you read that the maxima is going to a "Rare" car it is hard to believe. The reputation of the maxima will always preceed the actual automobile as being a mid priced sedan to compete with the mainstream accords and camrys. Marketing wise I would doubt that they would take their new car and try and turn it into more than is can be.. thats like trying to cavalier and call it caddy. It wont sell well because the consumer still knows its a cavalier--GM has been suffering like this since the 80's with poor selling mark ups.

carnal_c30

iTrader: (38)

the most reliable sources of mine all point towards the Maxima being based off of a stretched Altima platform

I dont see why Nissan would make the Maxima a RWD car as RWD is unappealing to many regions of the US because of weather, also it adds cost.
either way it doesnt matter to me so much.. if the next Maxima is an inch bigger than the 5th gens.. I wont even consider it its getting too big too bloated, a far cry from the 4DSC (3rd gen which to me is the Maxima in its purest form)

I saw an M45 a few weeks ago on the 405 freeway... a maroon one it was hideous =(

we'll see what the 2004 Max... I've had a few dealers tell me it was gonabe a 400hp Q45 engined M5 killer

FameMax

well that would be nice, but does anyone know if anything is happening ot the Cerifo? I bet in 2004 u'll see altima hit 255 or 260hp with 6-speed. Seems like Maxima is going to become a very unique Nissan much like the current altima.

Black VQ

But I'll see what you guys think. The 6th gen Maxima is goin to be based on the same SSL platform as the 3rd gen Altima. The upcoming Nissan Murano crossover SUV will be based on this platform as well. The same should be true of the Infiniti FX45, since it looks very similar in size and shape to the Murano.
I don't know about the FX45, but the Murano will be fwd with optional awd. This means that awd could be a drivetrain possibility for the 6th gen Maxima. The FX45 has a version of the VK45DE V8, and if FX45 really does use the SSL platform, that means a V8 could be used in the Max too.

4DRSpeed

iTrader: (22)

The salesman that sold my parents our 2002 Max, said that the new Maxima will have RWD with an optional V8. He told us it was on the Nissan website, I never found it.

Who knows? I would like to see RWD and a V8.

deezo

iTrader: (3)

From what I've come across in the past I know it will be RWD but it may have a detuned Q45 engine with 300HP instead of 345HP. It's been said it will have a V8 engine.

Lime

It's so sad...the death of the Maxima. I guess my next car is going to be something totally different....

MaXtUneD

iTrader: (2)

It is so obvious...since nissan had good selling with the altimas..Nissan's most prized car is there maxima.Im 100% sure that it is a 300hp RWD maxima.I work at a dealer and i have info but cant show you pictures.sorry guys but trust me..

FameMax

lets hear more info and, no pics? or cant show us? who cares who we gonna tell

deezo

iTrader: (3)

We've seen the pics and my info is only from what I've read online (freshalloy.com).

Afty

FX45 is on the FM platform (same as the Z and G35), not the Altima SS-L platform. I don't know why Nissan decided to make the FX45 and Murano look so similar; it's going to lead to people thinking the FX45 is another rebadged Nissan, even though it's a completely different car.

Mugen13

i heard that the v8 will have a optional bi-turbo v8 w/ standard RWD have optional AWD, and a optional getrag 6spd tranny.

SLC I30t

iTrader: (1)

Well I heard that it leviatates 3.18 inches off the ground and has a drag coef of .22

This has gone from what it could be.. to... people have seen it. Come on, I hate to be the only critic here. This car hasn't even been premired or gone public by nissan. But someone has pics of it from a dealer?

I'm sure there are plenty of speculative things about the 2k4 maxima being what ever it will be. IF Nissan kicks the maxima's status up in to the luxo market then I see it have rwd as does most real lux sedans do, especially if its trying to compete with the euro-favorites. I still don't see nissan using the "maxima" name for a car thats been known for nearly 20 years as a mainstream family sedan as a luxury posh sedan. Can you imagine an accord that would rival a gs430? Lets be realistic.

When you guys post info about the who's and whats of these things and they are supposed to be fact... how about posting links to the site that you got it from...

BBaker025

iTrader: (1)

No I Series , Personally I think the M45 is UGLY!

BioMaxDDS

iTrader: (1)

you got a really good point there

BioMaxDDS

iTrader: (1)

one more thing, I think as far as 4 door sports sedan, 2k2 Altima looks more "SPORTY" than 5th gen Maxima

SLC I30t

iTrader: (1)

I think that the 2k2 altima looks like a short fat lady wearing a dress..


The way the cars sheetmetal just hangs off the edges of the car.

fst96se

iTrader: (1)

You were in SLC for TOO LONG!!

naijai

iTrader: (1)

i believe that the 2k4 max will still be a fwd cause there is no sense in losing that nissan essence making it a rwd wont be good among buyers cause a lot of peps like the fact the maxima is a 4dsc and its fwd unlike most sports cars which are rwd maxima just being stock competes with them so i say nissan should keep the maxima a fwd and boost up the power and ay least offer the GLE with a stick option that would be nice and also those who say they have heard this nd that how positive are yu those people aint lying to get u hyped up about the max

deezo

iTrader: (3)

It will be going RWD and will have more power.

naijai

iTrader: (1)

it is gonna stay FWD and i assure it will have a few more ponies under its hood and when i get it ill bring it by so yu can see it

jkratzer

The 6th gen Maxima will be FWD, based on the Altima platform, built along side the Altima in TN, carryover the 3.5L VQ, and maybe have a few more ponies.

Forget all of this RWD V8 nonsense.