My Grandma just got a brand-new Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV with the Premium Package. She drove it home just last Thursday from the dealer. As soon as the door is opened, that lovely new car smell wafts out like flowers on a spring breeze. Oh that fleeting new car smell… I wish I could have an air freshener that smelled like that. I’d put it above my bed! It would alleviate all the teen smells my mom says come out of my room.
Sporty and luxurious, the Maxima meets Japanese efficiency. To the average person, the Maxima looks extremely sporty. Get a little closer, and you can see the rear fenders bulge. A bit odd, considering it is a front wheel drive car. Still, I like the looks.
My grandma’s car is gray on black leather. THe 290 hp engine is strong feeling/sounding, with dual exhaust pipes. The CVT (continuesly variable transmission) has sporty paddle shifters and 6 ‘ratios’ programmed into it. The front-wheel-drive system uses a special system, so that there is only torque steer at full throttle! Cruising at 60 mph, the engine barely revs higher than 2200 rpm. When my grandpa passed a truck, the engine only reached 2450 rpm in 2nd “gear.” Cruising along, the cabin is quiet and road noise is diluted.
Way back in the 1980’s, when the Maxima came out; Nissan called the Maxima the “4DSC (4-door-sports-car)” It really was a 4DSC! It had a powerful V6 and a standard five-speed manual transmission. That fame kind of went to Nissan’s head, and the Maxima started to get less sporty: It lost it’s manual tranny, it’s sporting nature got more luxurious and relaxed. Now, with the new Maxima, Nissan is starting to change that luxurious lump into a better car. Sure, the Maxima ain’t no 4DSC like the Porsche Panamera; but it’s gettin’ there! Keep up the hard work, Nissan, and you just might have a riot of a car to drive! VROOOOM!
http://www.nissanusa.com/maxima/?next=header.vlp.postcard.picture.thumbnail.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/112_1005_2009_nissan_maxima_verdict/index.html
The Unmuffled Auto News 
Mister Candler, how is it possible that you live hundreds of miles away and you got to see Grandma’s car before all of us? Hum?
Congratulations to Grandma!
Cynthia
Nice car. I don’t quite see why Nissan markets the Maxima. It’s so close to the Altima. Also nothing could alleviate the teen smells that come out of your room. Just kidding.
Just re-read this article and I think it’s the best one you’ve done including all the one’s you’ve done to the middle of July when I’m writing this. It’s a great blend of light, humerus,clever and factual.
Go to the head of the class in writing.
Love You.
Zayzee
More hits for my blog!