I got this off the Maxima forum. It may not be up for long so take a look!

http://www.brianv.net/newmaxima/

The center piece on the grille looks like a camo piece.

You can tell it's going to be a pretty slick car, though. RWD?

Wow! that shit is tight. It looks more like the G35. With with the rear quarter panel looking like a GS lex, or even the IS.

I hope it's rwd. Are those dual ex tips?

The front is definitely some fake ass shit. They'd never put it out like that.

They sure do know how to ugly up a car to hide it. :) The lines do look nice though.
It seems nobody wants RWD cars anymore, it's either FWD or AWD. I doubt it will be RWD.

It looks a lot like the G35/I35 series!!!

I wonder too what drive it'll be? FWD? RWD? Maybe they'll introduce an AWD to compete with the Audi quattro series and BMW AWD? They have AWD Skylines in Japan, so why not here? I think that would be a good addition to the N.A. fleet, AWD versions. :confused:

I noticed the quad exhaust tips, which hints at some serious motivation. With the Altima 3.5 around, it stands to reason that the Maxima is moving upscale away from getting scavenging by Altima sales. If I were Nissan, I would make use of the R&D work that went into the V35 Skyline/G35 platform (a lot, from what I've read) and modify it for use with the new Maxima. With a little bit bigger size and power, and RWD, the Maxima would be more distinctly positioned above the Altima.

RWD only makes sense to me, but what do I know? Bringing the S15 over in 1999 would have made too much sense.

Here's what Freshalloy news said on May 1st:
Nissan announced plans to do a test manufacturing run of the Maxima at their Smyrna, Tennessee to help refine and prepare the plant to take over production of Nissan's flagship sedan from Japanese plants. The cars produced will be strictly for testing and not sold to the public. The next generation Maxima is due as a 2005 model year. It has been highly rumored the new Maxima will be radically different switching to either a rear wheel drive or all wheel drive layout.

What engine are they planning on using? Not the 3.5 again!!!! I would think that it would be RWD if it wants to upscale the altima. That 3.5 has way to much power for a front driver IMO...my 3 liter had to much power for the max in FWD. Even with an LSD. I think the only sensible option it to create a RWD V6 or V8. I think that is the best way for nissan to go. AWD? I dont know...I mean, dont you think it would already be featured in the G35 if nissan was to do it? WHy offer it in the maxima which will cost less or the same as the G35? And wouldn't the maxima kill G35 sales with a new AWD system? Hell if they offer the maxima in a 6 speed with RWD, the G35 is a pointless creation unless it weights dramatically less than the maxima.

Last I heard, the Max was going to receive a V-8 and be rear wheel drive. This also was to be the same V-8 the new full size Pathfinder was to receive, but I have not seen anything in regards to that yet.

Actually I would differ on the point of it being FWD. Rather we see Nissan (USDMs) switching the pricer models to RWD. V35/G35 (I don't like calling it a skyline) is a prime example of this. I think Nissan is trying to move the Maxima a notch up just under the Infinti Q45(RWD). Being the main differance is name recognition and service. You want to pay a little less you get a Maxima, if you want to pay a little more for name sake, Service, past experiance, and some little car appointments you get a Q45, assuming that the Maxima will recieve a large V8 like the Q45. I feel many actions are taken to compete with Toyota/Lexus and Honda/Acura. Lexus is the main one with many mid range and uprange cars being RWD. The G35 is Nissan's answer to GS line of cars. The altima is the Camry and the Maxima=the Avalon. So after all that gibba jabba I say RWD is what it will be. I doubt an AWD system will come from Japan for a while carrying a Nissan badge. They tried it for the 240 and the Z32 with no one really appreciating them

can someone say lincoln town car? at least that's what the pictured rear end of the car resembles in my eyes. i'm not too crazy about the maxima - never have been. fast as hell, but could use some aesthetic help.

You guys think or know if they are switching the "upscale" maxima to a new rear suspension? Multibeam....gheeeeaaahhhggg....I wasn't to fond of it. I like independent rear. It would make sense to do that. If they want to jack the price up ont he maxima they better offer more than just a 3.5 with a 6 speed and some HIDs...I also dont think AWD will come here. And the G35 is no skyline....BY ANY MEANS. Its a glorified M30 (Rwd right?). I would not buy any of the new cars in the nissan line up so far. v6 camary vs v6 alt. hahahahahahaha. Maybe vs the 2.5 alt the camary would have a chance. Nissan confuses me. At least they had their shit together back in the day (se-r, 300z, 240sx) now they are just making ten different car from the same damn engine....just like GM? Toyota? What the hell is this about? Ching ching.

Wow, I really do not like how that looks at all. Im not all that crazy about the new altima, its just too big, that maxima looks even bigger then that altima. I sure hope thats a rough, rough example of what they are thinking about producing.

I read the rest of the stuff included with the pics and it seems like this Brian V got into some James Bond/spy hunter style action with the new maxima...driven by 4 men. Hehehehe. I wish I could have seen this on the road. A Maxima following the new max...."we must get these on micro film and trade it to the russians" The ass end looks like hell. Looks like someone put altezzas on the back of a lincoln IMO, and a chubby altima from the side.

It looks prtty cool, jsut a little too big for myu liking, i dotn much liek the new altimas either

Lets remember what most of us drive in comparison to size. :D. The G35 is not a glorified M30 the M30 was a two door glorified Maxima..lol that had problems, smae with the J30( another flop) The goods come from the I30 (Cefiro) and the new G35 has a lot more than just RWD. Its got the mid ship design which will be something (as far as I know) very differant in the market. the cars are big, but that is what popular with who they are target

If you are angry about the same engine then you will be very upset to find out that many companies are switching to a universal platform as well :D

Originally posted by 93BlackBird
the M30 was a two door glorified Maxima..lol that had problems,

The M30 was not marketed correctly. And it was in no way a glorified Maxima. It was in fact a Skyline rebadged as a Infiniti. "Whoa!, a Skyline! No way!" Is what you are probably saying and/or thinking.

Well, it was a Skyline, NOT a Skyline GTR, but a base Skyline with luxury. And it was rear wheel drive, not front wheel drive like the Maxima.

I believe it was a R30 or R31 chassis code!

that is what I remember too. What was the engine in the M30? was it a VDE or VD or something series? Or did it really have the base skyline engine? And how come I never see them on the road...i liked them from the time they first came out. I thought it was the most similar to the new G35 out of any of nissans newer cars...or maybe the NA (past) Z car. I always wanted a used m30...but I heard they were not to reliable.

Will the maxima be that midship design also?

The Infiniti M30 wasn't anything exotic, just a stopgap car for a brand new marque to pad its lineup. It was called the Leopard over in Japan, a "F31" chassis according to Freshalloy. The car didn't have anything to do with the Skyline, even if Tommy Kaira called one of his works the "M30." VG30 power makes it a closer relative to the Z31 300ZX than the Skyline, if you could say that.

Originally posted by JimR
It was called the Leopard over in Japan, a "F31" chassis according to Freshalloy. The car didn't have anything to do with the Skyline,

I have a hard time believing that the F31 and R31 are not similiar cars. Only reason is:

Skyline R31
http://www.skylinesdownunder.com/skylinepictures/r31pics/r31no8.jpg

Infiniti M30
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/pictures/87819.jpg

Leopard F31:
http://www.dcn.ne.jp/~square/pine/leopard/g-kuruma.jpg

Similiarities are unbelieavable. Even the lines of the two are the same. The mirrors are identical.

Well, it looks as if they share several components between the Leopard/M30 (F31) and the Skyline (R31). As the pictures I posted show, but here is where there is a big difference:

F31 Engines:
VG20E/VG20ET/VG20DET/VG30DE

R31 Engines:
RB20E/RB20ET/RB20DE/RB20DET

Although, the only engine the F31 got in the states was the VG30DE.