2008 New York Auto Show: Nissan To Take Wraps off Redesigned 2009 Maxima

Date posted: 01-10-2008


NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Nissan is not even planning to hold a press conference at next week's 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Instead, it is saving all of its firepower for the 2008 New York Auto Show, where it plans to unveil a completely redesigned 2009 Maxima, a Nissan spokesman confirmed on Thursday.

"We'll show the next Maxima in New York and a couple of other things — but not concepts," Nissan North America spokesman Darryll Harrison told Inside Line. Harrison described the '09 Maxima as "all new" but would not divulge any other details. He also added that Nissan will have a fairly low profile at February's 2008 Chicago Auto Show. Media days at the 2008 New York Auto Show kick off on March 19.

The current Maxima was last redesigned in 2004. It is considered one of Nissan's most historic vehicles and was known originally as the Datsun 810. It was rechristened "Maxima" in 1982.

The 2008 Detroit Auto Show will be the setting for the worldwide debut of the Nissan Forum "exploratory design concept," basically a postmodern take on the minivan. It features trackless sliding side doors and a cabin with a swiveling second-row seat.

What this means to you: Nissan's big splash on the North American auto show circuit will come in March in NYC. — Anita Lienert, Correspondentvia edmunds insideline

Sounds like a great time for a vacation back to my "home" state.

Diesel engine option baby!!

I just pray that it looks 80 billion times better than the current gen and offers a manual option again. They completely lost me as a fan with this current gen. :sad:

Anybody know if it is going to have the 3.5 or 3.7.

I will be there for sure. Bring back the 4DSC theme Nissan.

Diesel engine option baby!!



Nissan's diesel motors are horrible in their passenger cars, at least that what it used to be.

Nissan's diesel motors are horrible in their passenger cars, at least that what it used to be.

The diesel engine should be coming from Renault if they still plan on following through with what they said earlier. I dont know how Renault diesel engines are, but I would welcome the chagne.

New York has always been Nissan's biggest show, no surprise here.

I hope they drop the knock-off Lexus look exterior, the cheap interior and the non sporty drive. Just make it an Avalon competitor. They have the G35 now.

Or bring the Maxima back to its former greatness.

I hope they drop the knock-off Lexus look exterior, the cheap interior and the non sporty drive. Just make it an Avalon competitor. They have the G35 now.

Or bring the Maxima back to its former greatness.

Are you talking about the current Maxima looking very similiar to the current Lexus GS? The current Maxima bodystyle is a 2004 model where the current 3rd gen GS is a 2006 model. The current Maxima shares its new look and is similiar to the the larger redesigned Altima which was released well before 2004, if anything it is the 3rd gen Lexus GS that is the Maxima knockoff for the exterior since the Maxima/Altima redesign was released a couple years before the 3rd gen GS. Unfortunately they do look similiar especially the rear ends and I have witnessed people mistake the 2 cars for each other.

I agree I hope the newest Maxima is just made into a smaller lighter pure sports sedan instead of what it is now which is essentially a slight step up from the Altima and more of a Avalon competitor but with a cheap ugly interior and stiffer ride.

I do hope that the Maxima looks different from the GS. The 3GS itself was based off of the 2003 LF-S concept; I guess the Japanese makes had some similar ideas there.

damn I should of waited.

Are you talking about the current Maxima looking very similiar to the current Lexus GS? The current Maxima bodystyle is a 2004 model where the current 3rd gen GS is a 2006 model. The current Maxima shares its new look and is similiar to the the larger redesigned Altima which was released well before 2004, if anything it is the 3rd gen Lexus GS that is the Maxima knockoff for the exterior since the Maxima/Altima redesign was released a couple years before the 3rd gen GS. Unfortunately they do look similiar especially the rear ends and I have witnessed people mistake the 2 cars for each other.

I agree I hope the newest Maxima is just made into a smaller lighter pure sports sedan instead of what it is now which is essentially a slight step up from the Altima and more of a Avalon competitor but with a cheap ugly interior and stiffer ride.


Um, how bout no, Scott :) The 3rd gen GS is just a new generation of the GS series and if one looks at the 2nd gen GS, they can easily see the evolution of the model. The current gen Maxima looks nothing like the previous gen Maxima. The design for the 3rd gen GS was already in the pipeline when Nissan released their copy. If I were to look at concept pictures of the next-gen Dodge RAM and then release a truck that looked strikingly similar before they could get theirs to market; I'd be called out on it. Nissan did the same thing.

I hope they drop the knock-off Lexus look exterior
What part of it looks like a Lexus? The current Maxima is the result of trying to put Z styling cues on a four door (and not doing a very good job of it). Check out the shape of the headlights, integration of taillights, roofline, and mirrors. They even offered it with similar wheels and that orange color when it was introduced.

http://www.dieselstation.com/wallpapers/Nissan-Maxima-2004/Nissan-Maxima-2004-005.jpg
http://www.nissannews.com/multimedia/nissan2005/350z/800px/2005_20_350z_le_mans_sunset.jpg

Um, how bout no, Scott :) The 3rd gen GS is just a new generation of the GS series and if one looks at the 2nd gen GS, they can easily see the evolution of the model. The current gen Maxima looks nothing like the previous gen Maxima. The design for the 3rd gen GS was already in the pipeline when Nissan released their copy. If I were to look at concept pictures of the next-gen Dodge RAM and then release a truck that looked strikingly similar before they could get theirs to market; I'd be called out on it. Nissan did the same thing.

Exactly. Some people act like they suddenly decided to make their cars out the blue. The 2GS influenced almost every sedan/car, down to the round turn signals in the headlights, to the curved roofline, to the short deck.

I am not going to argue the point, it is obvious, hell you can read owners saying they bought it b/c it looked like a GS.

I love the 3rd-5th gens.

The 6th gen is a knock-off, awful, made in Tennessee farce of a Maxima.

Um, how bout no, Scott :) The 3rd gen GS is just a new generation of the GS series and if one looks at the 2nd gen GS, they can easily see the evolution of the model. The current gen Maxima looks nothing like the previous gen Maxima. The design for the 3rd gen GS was already in the pipeline when Nissan released their copy. If I were to look at concept pictures of the next-gen Dodge RAM and then release a truck that looked strikingly similar before they could get theirs to market; I'd be called out on it. Nissan did the same thing.

My name is not Scott, I don't think the 3rd Gen GS looks anything like the 2nd Gen GS aside from the two larger headlights in front with smaller lights towards the middle of the grill. The 2nd Gen GS was a very elegant classy looking sedan that looked like a luxury sedan where the 3rd Gen just looks sleeker and more modern fastback yet does not look anything like a upscale luxury sedan and could be easily mistaken for a Nissan or Toyota model. The rear end of the 3rd Gen GS just does not work well. I wish they would have made the inner rear tail lights seperated by sheetmetal like in the 2nd Gen instead of being all one peice of plastic which looks less elegant and more like a Altima/Maxima. I am surprised their is not a aftermarket paintjob or kit to make it so the bodycolor of the car seperates the breaklight to have the 2nd Gen GS look which I think would look much nicer. Aside from the similiar headlight design of the 2nd and 3rd Gen GS I would not be able to tell the 3rd Gen is related or a newer GS, they just look too diferent. The 3rd Gen is not a bad looking or ugly car it just does not have the upmarket luxury looks of the 2nd Gen and has a ugly rear end.