Detroit show: Nissan to preview sporty ‘Maxima’

NISSAN has sprung a teaser image of a concept for a future production sports sedan that many pundits believe will provide the basis for the 2015 Maxima.

To be shown in the flesh at the Detroit motor show on January 13, the car exhibits a new design that Nissan says will “embody next-generation design signatures”.

“The Sport Sedan Concept previews a new energetic design direction that amplifies Nissan's legendary approach of applying sports car principles to a sedan,” the company said in a statement accompanying this image.

The car features a coupe-style roof line, chrome V-shaped grille adapted from Nissan SUVs such as the Patrol and Qashqai and boomerang-shaped headlamps inspired by those on the 370Z sports coupe, this time with four LED lamps.

Teaser images of such a car were shown briefly to journalists at a Nissan media event in the California in September, with company executives then saying it would appear in the flesh in January. Now, Nissan is making good on the promise.

Left: Nissan iDx Freeflow and iDx Nismo.

If the Detroit car is the new Maxima, it is unlikely to make it to Australia where Nissan Australia axed the slow-selling Maxima with the recent arrival of the Altima mid-sized sedan, which it sees as a better prospect for volume sales.

Nissan Australia general manager communications Peter Fedeyev today reiterated that the local Nissan branch had no plans for Maxima, saying the new Altima had that market segment covered.

However, he added that the new sports sedan concept was likely to be a hit at the Detroit show.

“If the response to the Nissan IDx concept cars from the recent Tokyo motor show is any indication, then this latest concept car is sure to be a hit at this month’s Detroit motor show,” he said.

American reports suggest the Maxima will be powered by Nissan’s ubiquitous 3.7-litre VQ V6 or a supercharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain. A diesel is a possibility for other markets.

The new sports sedan will be shown at the Detroit show alongside two other Nissan concepts shown previously at the recent Tokyo motor show, IDx Freeflow and IDx NISMO.