2009 Nissan Maxima Gets A Makeover
Filed under: Auto Show Pictures, New York International Auto Show, Nissan, Sedans/Saloons
Tags: Japanese, maxima
The all-new 2009 Nissan Maxima was unveiled at the 2008 New York International Auto Show. The 2009 Maxima will be offered as two well-equipped models, Maxima 3.5 S and Maxima 3.5 SV, and is scheduled to arrive at Nissan dealers nationwide in early summer 2008 and will be available in a choice of eight exterior colors: Winter Frost, Super Black, Navy Blue, Tuscan Sun, Radiant Silver, Mystic Jade, Precision Gray and Dark Slate.
Three key areas were singled out for change: exterior design, which needed to be more aggressive, with more personality and attitude; a “super” cockpit, creating an interior that combines a driver orientation with high quality, roominess and user-friendly technology; and class-leading performance, enhancing what previous generation owners called “Maxima-ness.”
The exterior design theme for the new Maxima is “Liquid Motion” – focusing on the flow of its powerful and beautiful surfaces, like the undulation of a wave. The look starts with Maxima’s aggressive stance and powerful fender volume, which is not unlike many exotic sports cars on the market today. This deeply sculpted body/fender treatment is seldom used for mass market vehicles because of the engineering and manufacturing complexity required to physically accomplish it. Maxima’s new stance is created by a slight reduction in wheelbase and overall length, along with a wider front and rear track. Maxima’s dynamic performance stance is accented by 18-inch and available 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with low-profile performance tires.
For five previous generations, Maxima has been built on a front-wheel drive (FWD) platform. Yet with the new Maxima’s development team everything was open for discussion, including the benefits of front-wheel drive versus rear-wheel drive (RWD). Although there are well-known advantages of RWD in terms of sporty handling, it was ultimately decided that by switching Maxima from its previous platform to Nissan’s new “D platform,” which was first introduced on the current Nissan Altima Sedan, Hybrid and Coupe, the target Maxima performance could be delivered – without giving up the added FWD benefits of lower costs, lower weight and enhanced roominess versus a RWD platform.
A range of enhancements helped achieve these targets, including increasing body rigidity and adjusting the wheelbase and track dimensions. Body rigidity was increased by 15 percent and front strut mounting rigidity was increased by 100 percent, with all-new structures added to the engine compartment and additional reinforcement applied to the instrument panel structure. Maximas equipped with the Sport or Premium Packages feature a panel behind the rear seat that improves torsional rigidity by 17 percent versus models with a fold-down rear seat (a rear trunk pass-through is utilized with this panel). Additional “D platform” enhancements include the use of aluminum suspension links, revised suspension geometry, new technology shocks, revised steering and suspension geometries, a lower engine mounting and application of a new Xtronic CVT™ (Continuously Variable Transmission), all of which contribute to minimal torque steer and improved handling prowess.
Compared to the previous generation, the new Maxima offers more horsepower and torque, providing quicker acceleration response and a special “Maxima Sound” – a satisfying, sporty sounding exhaust note. For 2009, Maxima again features a standard 3.5-liter VQ-series V6 engine, enhanced and refined to take its driving performance to new levels.
The revised engine features a modular engine design with microfinished crank journals and cam lobes, molybdenum coated lightweight pistons, a resin intake collector, digital knock control, six individual coils (one per spark plug) and a cross-flow coolant pattern. Also utilized are a Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS), a variable induction system, a silent timing chain and electronically controlled throttle. The 2009 Maxima’s 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 is now rated at 290 horsepower and 261 lb-ft of torque (estimated), increases of 35 horsepower and 9 lb-ft of torque over the 2008 Maxima.
All 2009 Maximas come equipped with a revised Xtronic CVT™ with manual mode, tuned specifically for Maxima’s sporty driving character. The Maxima development team finessed the previous CVT design to improve responsiveness and strike a balance between sport and comfort, ultimately creating a transmission that provides a true synergy between engine and transmission, along with smooth, responsive and efficient operation.
For drivers seeking the utmost in vehicle control, a new “Ds mode” (drive sport) has been added to the CVT for 2009. “Ds mode” is an electronic control logic, that enhances sport driving through increased acceleration feel with higher engine revolutions, automatic engine braking and maintaining engine speed during cornering.
Comfort and convenience features include a standard moonroof, 8-way power drivers seat and 4-way power adjustable front passenger seat, dual-zone automatic temperature control, cruise control with illuminated steering wheel mounted controls, Intelligent Key with Push Button Ignition, power windows and door locks, AM/FM/CD6/MP3 audio system with 8 speakers and an available Interface System for iPod
Maxima 3.5 SV models add leather-appointed sport seats, an advanced Bose® premium audio system with 9 speakers (including two subwoofers and a center channel speaker), speed-sensitive volume control and Radio Data System (RDS), HomeLink® Universal Transceiver, fog lights and outside mirrors with turn signal indicators.
A number of packages are also offered, including the Sport Package with sport-tuned suspension, 19-inch wheels, rear spoiler, High Intensity Discharge (HID) Xenon headlights, heated outside mirrors with reverse tilt-down features, automatic entry/exit system with two-driver memory, heated front seats and steering wheel, paddle shifters, metallic link trim, Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone System, XM® Satellite Radio (active XM® subscription required, sold separately), premium leather-appointed seats and more.
The Premium Package includes the Dual Panel Moonroof with rear roof window and front and rear power retractable sunshades, High Intensity Discharge (HID) Xenon headlights, heated outside mirrors with reverse tilt-down features, automatic entry/exit system with two-driver memory, heated front seats and steering wheel, paddle shifters, premium leather-appointed seats, Eucalyptus wood-tone trim, 7.0-inch color monitor, RearView Monitor, Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone System, XM® Satellite Radio (active XM® subscription required, sold separately) and more.
Several Tech Packages are available, including the Maxima 3.5 SV Tech Package, which includes an advanced Nissan Hard Drive Navigation System with Voice Recognition, 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive, XM NavTraffic® with Real-Time Traffic Information (active XM® subscription required, sold separately), 7.0-inch color monitor, XM® Satellite Radio (active XM® subscription required, sold separately), RearView Monitor and Interface System for iPod®.
The 2009 Maxima is available with two different rear seat layouts – a 60/40 fold-down rear seat with access to the trunk, and a fixed rear seat with center armrest pass-through for carrying long items such as skis or other sporting equipment. Three interior colors are offered for 2009: Café Latté, Frost and Charcoal.
Ford Verve Concept Video
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Videos, Concept Cars, Ford, Sedans/Saloons
Tags: American, Detroit, verve
The future look of Ford’s lineup was shown at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI with the Ford Verve Concept. The Verve is a concept vehicle that is designed to be the vision for the new small cars that Ford will soon introduce in North America, expected to debut around 2010.
Watch our video of the Ford Verve Concept debut:
Click here for more on the Ford Verve Concept.
Maserati Quattroporte Collezione Cento Video
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Videos, Maserati, Sedans/Saloons
Tags: Cento, Collezione, Detroit, Italian, Quattroporte
The Maserati Quattroporte Collezione Cento is a limited special edition model, with a production run of only 100 cars. The 100 lucky owners will be guaranteed luxury and exclusivity, thanks to the numbered plate built into the the dashboard molding.
The interior is spectacular. Everything exudes luxury, from the Poltrona Frau “Cuoio” colored leather seats with diamond-shaped stitching and matching buttons in the centre to the polished Wengé wood inserts on the steering wheel, center console and receptacle. The mother of pearl inlays are a true delight, adding an unusual gleam to the name of the vehicle and the trident on the gear shift knob. Cuoio colored leather is also used for the superior-weight overmats, enhanced by Beige contrasting edges. The interior’s concept was exclusively presented to Maserati customers last year at Frankfurt’s Motorshow: the “Collezione Cento” is born from on the basis of their feedback and comments.
Watch our video of the Maserati Quattroporte Collezione Cento from the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, MI:
Technology is another area where the Collezione Cento scores highly. Back seat passengers in the new Quattroporte find themselves in a multimedia paradise controlled by the Maserati Multimedia Entertainment system. The technology is housed in the rear center armrest, which contains an AUX-IN socket, iPod docking station, SIM card seat and USB port so that passengers can view photographs, videos or listen to MP3/WMA tracks contained in other peripherals. The car’s sound system or the special Bluetooth headsets can be used for listening.
The armrest also features a built-in keypad for Internet browsing and email access, which can be folded. And because image also counts, especially when it comes to luxury, there are two real eye-catchers built into the back of the front seats: two 1.04″ touch screens complete with a CD/DVD player built into the back of the centre receptacle.
The Quattroporte Collezione Cento is fitted with a 4244 cc engine (400 bhp) paired with hydraulic automatic 6-speed transmission that guarantees the same performance as the Quattroporte Automatica range.
Fisker Karma Video From The Detroit Auto Show
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, Auto Show Videos, Fisker, Green Hybrids/Alternative Fuels, Sedans/Saloons
Tags: Detroit, karma
Fisker recently unveiled the Karma at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, MI.
The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid vehicle that can do 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, with a 125 mph continuous speed. Once you plug it in (at any normal/regular outlet) to charge overnight, you can travel the first 50 miles without producing emissions or using gasoline.
Production should begin in the 4th quarter of 2009 with a starting price of $80,000.
Chrysler ecoVoyager Concept Video
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Videos, Chrysler, Concept Cars, Green Hybrids/Alternative Fuels, Sedans/Saloons
Tags: American, Detroit, ecovoyager
Chrysler recently revealed its ecoVoyager Concept at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI.
“The 2008 Chrysler ecoVoyager concept vehicle celebrates the romance of automobile travel embodied in a four-door, four-passenger, distinctively American automobile of spirited design,” said Greg Howell, principal ecoVoyager concept exterior designer. “While the ecoVoyager’s supple, flowing one-box shape is purposely designed to achieve aerodynamic efficiencies, it also pushes the Chrysler brand language in a new direction of ‘elegant simplicity,’ by taking full advantage of the space normally occupied by a bulky conventional powertrain setup to drastically reduce the front overhang.”
Featuring crisscrossing forms defined by hard lines with fluid intersections, the style vocabulary of the ecoVoyager embodies Chrysler’s harmonization of functional technology with beautifully-styled exteriors and interiors.
The Chrysler ecoVoyager concept was developed for customers wanting a travel experience on par with a private jet, but without a lot of fancy gadgetry. These customers seek three critical attributes: elegance, simplicity and serenity.
The all-new Chrysler ecoVoyager’s wheels are driven by an electric motor, with power primarily supplied by a lithium-ion battery pack capable of satisfying a consumer’s typical daily commute of less than 40 miles.
The electric motor develops 200 kilowatts (268 horsepower), enabling acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in less than eight seconds. A regenerative braking system captures energy that would normally be lost and returns it to the battery, making the Chrysler ecoVoyager concept a very efficient and spacious vehicle.
The ecoVoyager takes advantage of a range extender – in this case, a small, advanced hydrogen fuel cell — to extend the vehicle range for occasional long trips. With this advanced technology, the Chrysler ecoVoyager’s total range is greater than 300 miles, while no emissions—besides water vapor—come from the tailpipe along the way.
With the entire propulsion system located below the ecoVoyager’s floor, space is maximized for utility of passenger and cargo.
Hyundai Goes Upscale: The 2009 Genesis Video
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Videos, Hyundai, Sedans/Saloons
Tags: Detroit, Genesis, Korean
Check out our video of the 2009 Hyundai Genesis debut at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show and let us know if you think the Genesis can hold its own against the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class or the Lexus GS line.
Click here for more on the 2009 Hyundai Genesis.
2009 Volkswagen Passat CC Video Coverage
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Videos, Sedans/Saloons, Volkswagen
Tags: CC, Detroit, German, Passat, VW
Volkswagen revealed their Passat CC at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. The Passat CC body is a coupe design but with four doors over the usual two. The interior is luxurious, with features like the active climate seat, a creature comfort that until now was reserved for the Phaeton luxury sedan. Developed for the Passat CC, there is also a new electrically actuated Panorama vent sunroof to add an extra touch of class and luxury.
The big highlight of the Passat CC is the “Lane assist” feature which is an active lane keeping system, unique in this vehicle class. “Lane Assist” detects lane markings via a camera in the vicinity of the inside mirror or rain sensor. The system is activated via the multifunctional display on the Passat CC; the driver selects the system under the menu item “Lane Assist” to activate. As long as the driver does not deactivate the system, from that point forward it takes effect starting at a speed of 65 km/h. It automatically counter-steers as soon as the Passat CC leaves its lane unintentionally, though the counter-steering is said to be very continuous and gentle, overridable by the driver steering with very little force. If the driver takes their hands off the steering wheel completely, the system detects this and issues a warning, both acoustic and by vibration, to request that the driver resume control, and then the system switches itself off.
Expect the VW Passat CC in the US during the fourth quarter of the year.
2009 Hyundai Genesis Introduced
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, Hyundai, Sedans/Saloons
Tags: Detroit, Genesis, Korean
Hyundai aimed to shatter premium automobile paradigms with the North American International Auto Show introduction of its new flagship, the all-new Genesis sports sedan, and they succeeded. With capabilities and features comparable to the world’s leading premium sports sedans, Genesis will arrive at Hyundai dealerships this summer.
Genesis is built on Hyundai’s all-new, performance-driven rear-wheel-drive architecture. It offers three powertrains, including 3.3-liter and 3.8-liter V6 engines, and Hyundai’s all-new 4.6-liter Tau V8. The Tau will produce an estimated 375 horsepower using premium fuel and 368 horsepower using regular unleaded leading all competitors in specific output with 79.5 to 81.0 horsepower per liter. With technology rivaling more expensive luxury sedans, Genesis showcases features such as XM NavTraffic, Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFLS), Smart Cruise Control, Lexicon® audio systems and electronic active head restraints.
Genesis also delivers spirited performance through its two V6 options — all-aluminum 3.3-liter and 3.8-liter DOHC V6 engines that deliver an estimated 268 horsepower and 233 lb-ft. of torque and an estimated 290 horsepower and 264 lb.-ft. of torque, respectively. To maximize the power spread, the engines utilize Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) on intake and exhaust cam shafts and a new Variable Intake System (VIS) that helps cylinders breathe efficiently at low and high RPM. The better breathing results in outstanding off-the-line acceleration and passing performance, and remarkable fuel efficiency. The V6 engines use an alloy block and cylinder heads for lighter weight and thermal efficiency, and feature timing chains with no scheduled maintenance. Even with their impressive output, all Genesis engines are also environmentally friendly, with all three achieving Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) certification levels.
Both Genesis V6 engines use an Aisin 6-speed SHIFTRONIC automatic transmission that features an overdrive lock-up torque converter for improved highway fuel economy. The transmission offers smooth shifts and a wide spread of ratios that ideally suit both engine’s characteristics including a tall-overdrive sixth gear for quiet, efficient highway cruising. Drivers can access the SHIFTRONIC® feature by moving the gear selector into a separate gate. Pushing the selector forward or pulling it rearward will shift the transmission up or down sequentially, adding to driver control. A clear LCD readout on the instrument panel shows the gear that’s in use. The Tau V8 Genesis is mated with an enhanced, high-output ZF 6-speed transmission to handle the added horsepower and torque.
The all-new 2009 Hyundai Genesis is protected by the Hyundai Advantage, America’s Best Warranty™. Coverage includes five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper protection, 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, and seven-year/unlimited mileage anti-perforation coverage. In addition, Genesis buyers receive 24-hour roadside assistance coverage at no extra charge for five years (no mileage limit) and that service includes emergency towing, lockout service and limited coverage for trip-interruption expenses. There is no deductible on any of these coverages.
