instead use the Sunny GTiR awd system and sr20det and awd the Sentra ser? Or just flat import the GTiR into the USA to battle the WRX and Mitsu evo?

pics
http://www.dreamwater.com/auto/michaelgtir/page7.html

 

its ghey to be the first person to answer to your thread

 

I would like to see that. It's too bad that Nissan ran into finacial problems in the mid 90's or that might just be happening right now. Heck while on the wish list, I'd like to see a convertable Nissan. Say a Miata/MR-2 hunter. I suppose the Z would work for this not quite the same class, but sure is sharp.

As for the Maxima... I doubt many on this board will be moving onto the 6th gen. Personally having seen the spy photos around its just too big for my liking. Put a nice interior into the Altima and I might consider it in a few years.

 

If they were looking to import the GTiR hopefully they would change that hood. Yuck.

SuDZ

 

Well, anything is better than what we have right now.......FWD.....but the increase of weight, I do NOT like.

 

I'd be PERFECTLY happy with the 350Z/G35C drivetrain.

With the 6spd of course.

 

With the sport compact market heating up in the US, I say Nissan should import the Sunny and market it as a Coupe version of the Sentra to go head-to-head with the VW Golf GTi.

From what I've been reading, the Golf R32 (3.2L VR6, 240HP, AWD, 3350lb), is coming to the US next model year (03/04) and the Sunny could compete directly, while leaving NA versions of the QR25DE in the lower trim models.

The Maxima still needs something better than FWD, though

 

The people that are pleased with the level of sportiness in their maxima, combined iwth the comfort, styling, and flagship quality/reliability won't be too keen on any of those ideas. It seems the majority of people here diss on the Spec-V/SE-R like it's the plague already, much less at a price tag that would end up $22-25k.

Even with awd and the sr20det, there'd be those guys that say "Dude...it's still a Sentra. I drive a Maxima."

Personally I'd think that would open up something exciting, esp with the hesitant nature I've seen of people wanting to go crazy with the QR25 on the SE-Rs. But I'm a guy that doesn't find my max sporty enough (straight-line on a road with no bumps, it can be fun, but...)
and would sacrifice comforts and perhaps some quality control issues for a cool sporty project car.

I dunno, I think a good number of people on this board and/or loyal to the maxima will manage to convince themselves by any means possible that they like, regardless of what Nissan offers, the 6th gen. I mean...people think the 4th and 5th gens look good...

 

....

 

I seriously doubt those pictures that BrianV took are what the Gen6 is really going to look like in final form. They were taken a LONG time ago, and well over a year before the release. And a lot of times, pictures just don't do a car justice. So take that for what it's worth. I didn't buy a Maxima for looks anyways...I bought it for what's under the hood

 

you bought it for 4 oxygen sensors?

 

Same here, except it also had to have a MT and 4-doors.

 

It will still lay the smack down on a CL-S below 90

 

You're cali-spec? Where's that barf smilie when you need it. hehe.

Anyway, I'd love to see them import the GTiR into North America. As for the Max using a smaller powerplant like the sr20det, I don't think they really have plans for that. AWD with the max as it is currently will weigh waaaaay too much for my liking. I'd rather see a RWD 4th gen with 3.5L engine in it Now that'd be some fun. I think that idea is probably just as likely as GTiR's coming over here anytime soon though.

 

Yep, I'm Cali-spec.

All the other Max's in my area were all beat to hell or had things wrong with them, so I didn't really have a choice. 99 Max, 43k, MINT!, LOADED!!, 5spd!!!!. But yes...

Cali spec.

Ah well...

 

plus, if you look closely at the pics again, you will notice that the body form is unrefined. When not untill the final stage will they place the "true" paneling on the car.

 

The Sunny is one of the dumbest looking cars on the planet. I wouldn't be caught dead in one. I'd rather be caught in a Civic with a double decker wing. At least in the Civic some people won't laugh at you.

Maybe if they redesigned the Sunny like they have been the other Nissan's, then I'd be cool with it. But I still wouldn't be caught driving one, cuz I'd never fit.

As far as AWD for the Max, I'd rather AWD, but I think it would jack the price up a lot; so I kind of hope it's just RWD.

 

Sure, the current SE-R is a great value for the price, but people looking to go a bit upmarket with the Golf R32, WRX and Evo will be very dissapointed. There isn't even a sporty Nissan in that price range with the exception of the 350Z, which is in another class altogether. I'm not saying to get rid of the SE-R, but have something to fill the gap between it and the 350Z. Even a stripper SE-R along the lines of Renault's Clio 172 Cup would be nice. Losing 89kg turned the Clio into a real driver's car, without even adding any power.

The Nissan Almera(aka the Sunny) hatch sold in Europe(something like the Sunny) with awd and an SR20DET would stomp on the competition here. I'm sure the R32 wouldn't be a problem because it weighs too much. An awd turbo Almera might not be a lightweight either, but there could be some measures taken to cut down on weight. Mitsubishi already uses hollow cams on their Evo VII, and is looking to use carbon fiber in the hood and other places in addition to using thinner glass on the Evo VIII. It shouldn't be too hard for Nissan to adopt some of those practices too.

The Max needs awd, though. Otherwise, there won't really be a point to having it around, especially if there will be more power. My basically stock 4th gen automatic torque steers enough as it is. I wouldn't too much about competing with the Avalon. Geez, does Nissan want even more old people buying the Max?

Instead, Nissan should worry about awd sedans like the upcoming Ford 500, the Audi A4(or maybe low-end A6s?), the Volvo S60R, Jaguar X-Type, BMW 330xi, and the VW Passat W8 4 Motion among others. This is the market that Nissan needs to tackle, because they don't have anything in their US arsenal(G35 comes in 4wd in Japan) to compete.

BTW, I'm a marketing major and I know what I'm talking about. Nissan should hire me. I really don't want to see them drop the ball again, like they did with the 3rd gens.

 

<======= Engineer.
That makes us natural enemies. hehe

I hope you're right, and this is a car that I could go for. Entry-luxury style/features/performance, w/o the luxury brand price tag. The Passat W8 is a sweet car, but very very pricey. If Nissan made a W8 Passat for a few grand less and kept the performance up and manual tranny's still available, this is a car that I could go for.

 

Ah, I was looking for my teamates! Oh, but you're electrical, not quite...

 

yes please

 

3rd Gen body
RWD
6-speed manual

 

We aren't quite enemies. My dad is an engineer and works in procurement, so I know your side of it. I'll be one of the few trying to find a happy medium between the fields. After all, I'm a nerd too.
The unfortunate thing about the Passat is its weight, which is over 2 tons. You'd think it was a Jaguar or something. All that weight from the W8 engine up front makes it understeer a lot. Not cool. The next Max needs an engine that will keep a reasonable weight balance and an awd system with a rear-biased split. Nissan can look to Jaguar's X-Type or their own Skyline GT-R for clues.

 

I wish, but I bet the Maxima might end up adopting that retarded triangle headlight trend that's going around. Makes every car look more and more like a friggin ford focus or something along those lines. Hyundais have better looking headlights now compared to the other import companies (a few of them look R34 Skyline inspired too).

An AWD 6th gen would have to be more powerful than 280HP, and if they make the VQ push more than even 270, then FWD is just going to be a harsh lesson in history for Nissan.

True that the sports car market is increasing slowly, but it's still a SUV world... i wonder when Nissan will bring something out to battle Toyota's sport utes. Also, don't forget a new Quest is in the works, as well as some sources saying that some weird type of new vehicle is being tested somewhere here in North America (i hope to God that it's a GT-R).

I think most of us agree that the 6th gen should/will be of higher class. Alas an even greater target for old people with good retirement plans, kids with bling bling wanting to pimp it, and of course all of us with our trade ins (if it's worth it).