It has 300 horsepower, rides on a new chassis that is lighter and stiffer than before, and it looks like absolutely nothing else on the road. This is the all-new 2016 Nissan Maxima, and I think it is amazing. Nissan has always positioned the Maxima as a sports car alternative for buyers who need a large sedan, but want great handling and lots of power. The old car was fine, but it was far from amazing. Nissan made sure it had plenty of power from the old 3.5-liter V6 engine, but it was a far cry from a legitimate sports sedan.
We won’t know if the new car is a better sports machine until we can drive it, but at the very least it looks like a sports car. Using the same new outlandish design features found on the latest Murano, the 2016 Maxima looks fresh, futuristic, and most of all, fast. It has the same boomrang lights, floating roof and large V-grille as the Murano, and all those shapes transfer surprisingly well to the smaller sedan platform.
Under the hood Nissan is still using the tried and true VQ35 series engine, but for this car it has been heavily revised with Nissan claiming more than 60-percent of the parts are new. The car now produces 300 horsepower, a 10 pony bump over the old motor. No word yet on how torque levels have been affected. A new Xtronic CVT transmission sends that power to the front wheels, but Nissan promises that this transmission has been programmed for sporting driving. The CVT also has a much wider gear ratio spread and Nissan is saying that fuel economy has jumped by 15-percent to an even 30 mpg on the highway.
Nissan may have left out a few key details in regards to this new cars greasy bits, but they did provide a price and sales date. Base MSRP rings up at $32,410, and it goes on sale early this summer. As we get more details about the car we will be sure to share them. Of course if you want more info now, you can find the full press release from Nissan right under this big gallery of awesome photos.
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PRESS RELEASE
- President and CEO Carlos Ghosn unveils Nissan’s totally redesigned flagship Maxima “4 Door Sports Car”
- All-new Maxima features a 300-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and new lighter, yet more rigid chassis, bringing sports car-like acceleration and handling to large sedan segment
- 2016 Maxima is set to arrive in U.S. Nissan showrooms with a starting M.S.R.P. of $32,410*
NEW YORK – Nissan today unveiled the all-new Nissan Maxima during a press conference at the New York International Auto Show. Making the presentation was Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn, who addressed a range of topics including Nissan’s $10.1 billion investment in the U.S. in the past three decades.
The dramatically styled 2016 Maxima, created by driving enthusiasts for driving enthusiasts, looks like nothing else on the road today – and drives like nothing in the segment. It not only resets Maxima’s iconic “4-Door Sports Car” positioning, it sets a new standard for style, performance and technology in the large sedan segment.
Maxima’s styling showcases Nissan’s new design language –including V-Motion front end, signature boomerang lights, kick-up C-pillars and unique floating roof appearance. Inside, Maxima’s premium class-above, bespoke interior is anchored by a driver’s cockpit that rivals luxury vehicles.
The new Maxima’s 3.5-liter VQ-series V6 has been redesigned with more than 60 percent new parts (compared to the previous generation 3.5-liter V6). With 300 horsepower, Maxima has a high specific output of 85.7 horsepower/liter. The revised engine helps Maxima achieve an anticipated 15 percent increase in highway fuel economy to an EPA estimated 30 miles per gallon**.
Complementing the revised powerplant is a new, performance-oriented Xtronic transmission featuring a wider ratio range, which allows for stronger acceleration from a standing start and an all-new D-Step shifting logic that provides rapid shifts at high throttle openings.
Maxima’s next-generation technology features include a standard NissanConnectSM with navigation, featuring an 8.0-inch touch-screen display, along with SiriusXM® Satellite Radio and SiriusXM Travel Link™ applications (Sirius XM subscription required, sold separately), Online Search with Google® and other connectivity features. The NissanConnect system is paired with a standard 7.0-inch Advanced Drive Assist Display (ADAD) within the instrument cluster.
The new Maxima also offers an extensive range of safety, security and driving aids, including Predictive Forward Collision Warning (PFCW), Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), Forward Emergency Braking (FEB), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (CTA) and Blind Spot Warning (BSW). These features are available on Maxima SL, SR and Platinum grades. Maxima also offers an available Driver Attention Alert (DAA) system***, which monitors steering input patterns to establish a baseline and helps alert the driver when drowsy or inattentive driving is detected (Maxima Platinum only).
The all-new Maxima, now offered in five grade levels including new SL, SR and Platinum grades, goes on sale in early summer 2015 with a $32,410 starting MSRP* – including standard NissanConnect with navigation, 8.0-inch touch-screen display, Remote Engine Start, RearView Monitor and more.
Public days for the 2015 New York International Auto Show, which is held at New York City’s Jacob Javits Center, are April 3 – 12, 2015.
