I'm an Absentee Father. But That's OK, Because I Drive a Four-Door Sports Car

Lets get something straight. The Nissan Maxima does not get the love it deserves. Not from the auto press and not from car enthusiasts. Any commuter would be hard pressed to find the combination of power, luxury and reliability at a decent value that the Maxima offers. That's probably why the nameplate derives such fierce loyalty, and I have owned 3. That being said, I'm very excited about the announcement of the 2015 Maxima, which was briefly teased at this year's Super Bowl.

Now I'm sure you have seen the commercial by now. Some people even understood the correlation that this super-cool racecar driver is a family man who chooses the sporty 4DSC Maxima as his personal ride. Unfortunately, they chose to use "Cats in a Cradle" as a soundtrack, whose opening note inspires guilt and anxiety in pretty much every father who wishes they could spend more time with their family. Not the kind of marketing message I would want to send, but I hope it works for them.  

But damn, its sexy. Official photos were released today. It has a very muscular front end and rear haunches that are reminiscent of Infiniti models, yet somehow different. It also takes design cues from Nissan's current lineup, with boomerang lights, while that grill fascia really needs to be available in a matte black. I'm a little nervous about the high beltline and visibility, but I'll reserve judgement until I take a test drive.

Photos from Newspress

As for the powerplant and technicals, no one knows what that will be, but I'd  venture guessing either a 3.5 or 3.7 liter V6, mated to a CVT. I don't think we will see a platform beyond FWD, as Nissan still relies on Maxima upgraders for the survival of the Infiniti brand.

The car is set to debut at the NY Auto show in April, and I'll be there.


information via http://www.newspressusa.com/