FrankW

yeah, i was gonna edit the Murano part. The FX45 is based on the RWD platform.

uhhhh G35 IS SKYLINE with different badge. I'm talking about the sedan that started all. Skyline is skyline and the Z is the Z. They just share the platform, that's all. The Skyline/G35 will always be the top of the line sports car from Nissan.

btw, the Skyline sedan was out in Japan before the Altima (only in US) was released. of course, all the Nissan would share parts somewhere. oh yeah, bet you didn't know that there's a 8 speed CVT version of the Skyline in Japan...lol

ur info seems like based on the US market.

FrankW

X-type shares the chassi with Mondeo, but much work has done to it. It has a much stiffened chassi, more powerful drive tran, and 4wd that 60% of the power are diverted to the rear wheel, which really makes it more like a rwd car.

Altima and Maxima has detuned VQ35 engine from G35, FX35, I35, Murano, etc. It's detuned because Altima and Maxima are FWD.

Matt230K

The June issue of Car and Driver has an okay article on platform sharing on page 9 if anyone is interested.

Outland

Mondeo isn't a bad car. Ive been in them in Europe. Great styling(note to Mr. Ford- import that thing and sell it here-folks will stop buying Passats and Altimas)

But its a mainstream model...even worse, the REAL mondeo is a better performer than the X-Type. The X-type is dying in Europe because of this...the Mondeo is even sucking some of the Volvo sales(something ford isn't thrilled with, because it was counting on its "premium" brands to rake in high margin profits) Again, the X type isn't a bad car by anymeans, but I sure don't think its worth the cash- nice sheetmetal, but too much dough for a gussied up Ford.

Quote:

Altima and Maxima has detuned VQ35 engine from G35, FX35, I35, Murano, etc. It's detuned because Altima and Maxima are FWD.

No, its the same VQ motor that predates the Altima...it was in the old Maxima, and in smaller displacement form, numerous Nissans for close to a decade. You can't argue its a detuned version...its not. The G35 and Z use a hopped up version.

BlackC230Coupe

Stop calling the G35 coupes skylines, thats like us calling the CLKs C classes. Just becauses its on the platform does not make it qualify for the skyline name. And isen't Nissan thinking of bringing the REAL skyline over here oneday?

FrankW

you are thinking about the GT-R. The G35 IS the Skyline for the US market. The only thing different about the Japanese version and US version is that the Japanese is right hand drive with SKYLINE badge on the trunk.

here's a link to NISSAN Japanese website. http://www2.nissan.co.jp/SKYLINE/V35/0301/

FrankW

exterior picture page

http://www2.nissan.co.jp/SKYLINE/V35...TER/index.html

FrankW

the ST220 is not that good of a performer, but it's bang for the $$ in Europe. good car nonetheless, but not X-type 3.0 great.

Altima doesn't have V6 until this generation. it's the same engine with different performance tuning. why do you think it's called VQ35 for all of them. it's simply the latest VQ V6 engine that's tuned for 5-6 different vehicle.

what you are saying it's like the current 540's 4.4 V8 compare to the X5's 4.4 V8 are different because they are tuned for different car.

BlackC230Coupe

ohhh ok, i never realized that. Are there any infiniti's in japan? or are they all under the nissan name? and the GT-R i was thinking about is that called a Skyline GT-R?

I guess this whole deal is just like how Acura's TSX is not a Acura in japan.

tberry

Yes I believe the Skyline will share same platform and more or less same engine with the G35 here in US. You're thinking of the awesome Skyline GT-R which the division making the next one is thinking of dropping the name "skyline" and just go with GT-R. Basically think of like the Mitsubishi Lancer and the Lancer Evo series....sure it share some things the same but totally diff driving exp.

The acura TSX is basically the japanese/euro honda accord and Lexus IS300/Altezza is basically the Japanese's replacement for the Corolla (i'm sure IS300 owners will hang me for this :-)

*Oh and they ARE going to bring the Lexus name to the Japanese in a year or two differentiating from the Main toyota line. Should be interesting how their market will react to this.

BlackC230Coupe

so will the GT-R be comming to America or is it still undecided?

tberry

I believe it is still undecided for the fate of GT-R in the North American market officially. Also, the sales of the new Maxima (yes the super ugly one with weird vertical sunroof) is not doing well. I wouldnt be surprised if they kill the nissan maxima and bring the nissan skyline in the US as replacement (kinda like Mitsubishi killed protege and brought lancer here).

Matt230K

Protege is Mazda

tberry

wise-*** okay what was that POS that they replaced? the one below Galant....also another POS.

FrankW

Skyline GT-R name ended with the R34 Skyline GT-R specV. The new car will just be called a GT-R, and yes it will make it to the US under tha infiniti name to mainly compete with the NSX. Nissan say that the new GT-R will use a V8 instead of the fame twin turbo inline six that was used in the last three generation (R32, R33, R34) Still, even if the new Maxima fails, Nissan will not bring the Skyline (sedan/coupe) because it'll just be a G35 will different badges. tberry, if you go to the link i posted, you'll see that they are the same car.

like tberry said, it's just like the Lancer/Mirage/Sedia from Mitsubishi. cars that are sold in the US have one name and other market have another name. EVO has always used the same name tho (Lancer Evolution, since the beginning).

about that Altezza is the new Corolla, is FALSE. Toyota still have a new Corolla in japan. Altezza was Toyota's attempt to take on the 3-series, which it is quite successful taking some market from the 3-series.

anyway, TSX other than it's a new Euro/Japanese Accord. It has a new interior made specially for the US market. Other wise the TSX/Euro Accord should have the same interior as the US Accord.

Outland

The Maxima has a twenty year history in the US, and just recently, for the 03, Nissan moved Maxima production stateside. Its not going anywhere soon.

Im not a fan of the front of the car(grill, mainly) but its an intersting shape...far better than the Japan, INC styling of the new Accord. However, its rather ironic that in its quest to style a car that stands apart from the bland aisan pack, they end up with a car that looks shockingly like a Saturn ION. Maybe its the looks...the ION is selling horribly as well.

Personally, I think the real reason its not doing so well is that the Altima has 9/10's of the style, almost all the HP, and sells for a much more palatable 23K. Nissan has too many cars in the 23-32K range. When you get up to the price a fully deck Maxima costs, why not buy the G35? Better service, quasi premium nameplate, and probably better resale. The Altima, Maxima, G35 and I30 all share the same range- and have much of the same content...the G35's RWD being the exception.

Outland

THe Evo is called the Evolution VIII outside of the US.

Quote:

Altezza was Toyota's attempt to take on the 3-series, which it is quite successful taking some market from the 3-series.

This car has been a flop. It never cut it as a 3er, and lacked the character to develop a serious following of its own. I'll be surprised if the "IS" moniker remains when the car is redesigned.

Quote:

anyway, TSX other than it's a new Euro/Japanese Accord. It has a new interior made specially for the US market. Other wise the TSX/Euro Accord should have the same interior as the US Accord.

Its the same interior...just with fake wood, and some shiny bezels. Its the same car. They should have payed for spy shots of the Mazda 6 during development, then it wouldn't have looked like a cross between a Civic and a Mazda 6

FrankW

duhh Evo stands for Evolution, and there was the VII, VI, VI Tommy Makkinen edition (only comes in red), V, IV, III, II, and I. you think i wouldn't know that if i know that the G35 IS the Skyline. Oh yeah, the VII also has a auto version called the EVO VII GTA with steering wheel shift buttom.

The performance for the US 3.0liter IS rack up pretty good against the 3-series, other than maybe the 0-60 time is a little slower. The 3.0 liter is only available for the US market and some other country that demanded them, btw. Toyota doesn't sell Altezza 3.0 in Japan. like the LS/Celsior, GS/Aristo, and ES/Windom...the IS/Altezza will most likely remain the same name when it's redesigned. May i ask what king of character it lacks? just let you know that I agree with its somewhat cheesy interior bits if that's what you gonna say.

Euro/Japan's Accord interior shot

US TSX interior shot

pls don't say something that you are not sure about.

FrankW

oh yeah, side note: The I30 has been long gone and replaced by the I35 with the VQ35 engine.

a fully loaded new Maxima will probably cost around $31-32k and that's where the G35 begin it's base price. Maxima won't get into the range of the G35.

how are these two the same????
ION

Maxima

Outland

BFD. Same ****, new name. You don't know as much about engines as you think you do, if you think that's a different mill...just a larger displacement version- same architecture. Longevity of a good design is something to be proud of...can't understand why youre so paranoid that its not something new, not something 'premium'.

Quote:

a fully loaded new Maxima will probably cost around $31-32k and that's where the G35 begin it's base price. Maxima won't get into the range of the G35.

2003 Infiniti I35 Midsize Sedan
MSRP:
$29,645

2004 Nissan Maxima Midsize Sedan ( 2003 Model )
MSRP:
$27,490 - $29,440 (depending on trim level, not options)

2003 Infinity G35 Sedan
MSRP:
$28,345 - $30,195

All three of these cars will option out in the low to mid thirties. Now why would anyone take the Maxima? I like the car's styling over the G35, a design I find rather dull, but its cheapo interior is even cheaper than the G35, and its a torque steering nightmare with 265HP and FWD. The I35 is entirely forgetable.

Quote:

how are these two the same????

You got the Quad Coupe photo, not the sedan. And YES, they are very similar. Several reviews have noted it as well.


Nissan's New Maxima...Why Bother?

BlackC230Coupe

whoa, that ION is pretty damn close looking to the Maxima.

Guest0001

serously lol thats pretty sad

i still like the new maxima, even thought i wouldnt really buy it

a lot of cars are looking alike now, big deal

E class looks like a camry from the rear,

a clk looks like volvo from the rear. id still buy both of these cars

FrankW

DUH, you think i don't know that! I do know it's just a newer version of the same engine. What's ur point? It sounds pretty stupid when someone calls I35 a I30 when the 3.0 liter engine has gone out of production. That's like calling a 330i a 328i or C320 a C280. yeah, they're all basically the same engine with different displacement, new, I would think that they are new.

why are you showing the base price of the car? NO one will buy a car with absolutely no options. The dealership will almost never import a $27-29k car with no option. Would you buy ur C-coupe with no option? come back to reality, bro...remember what the C230k coupe's base price looks like and what you paid for!

oh yeah, G35's base price is $29650 + $545 (destination&handling) = $30195. With the usual dealer picked option Premium pkg, the car is $33395. That's with only one option and not yet with the NAV.

Maxima 3.5 SL $28900+$540 = $29440. With the typical Driver Preferred Package it is $30140. I don't think that those that buys the Maxima will get that Elite pkg or the Journey pkg. If they just need a family car to get the kids around.

BlackC230Coupe

I dont know about u but my MB dealer has alot of Mercedes on the Lot with practicly no options.

Guest0001

i agree same with mine

but it your buying a benz i think its good to have it nicely equiped