The 2009 Maxima is funky

I had a chance to test drive the 2009 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV with all the bells and whistles a couple of weeks ago. It came with the Sport Package and the Premium Package which means it had nav, voice recognition, back-up camera, even the steering wheel's heated! But I digress, this blog is not about the performance or the features, it's all about the styling and design. So here we go.

First, the front end. I like how the Maxima is not so blah anymore. The pronounced rectangular grill is very distinct and I like how it's out in front of the headlights. I'm not sure about the high hood lines though. That brings us to the headlamps. I'm sorry but the swooshes are just weird. They look weird on the 370Z and they look weird on the Maxima. They just don't make sense. There's no rhyme or reason.

Now the tail end. I think this is the first Maxima that has a decent rear end. First of all I like how there are creases that break up a fairly large back end. Nissan designers actually modeled this in 3D this time. The corners are very nicely chistled and the wheel arches are nice and wide. I like the humps over the wheel arches. The high beltline carries nicely into the tail light units, which are harmless. But where are the corresponding swooshes to match those on the headlights?

This brings us to the profile, the weakest link on this Maxima. The greenhouse silhouette is fine but doesn't stand out at all. It's pretty much like every other sedan you see on the road now. Now to the wheels. The front axle is set simply too far back. It is almost aligned with the windshield. You know who else has proportions like these? All the GM sedans from the 1990s. Yeah, try the Pontiac Grand Prix and the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. The wheels are not pushed out into the corners at all and the overhang is too long. For a self-proclaimed 4 Door Sports Car, the stance is too GM like. That's what you get for a front wheel drive car.

Conclusion >>> The new Maxima is a conundrum. Distinctive and cool from certain angles, but off. It is no G35, that's for sure.

2010 Mazdaspeed 3 MPS is da bomb

Just saw the new Mazdaspeed 3 from the Geneva Show, and I must say they've done a great job evolving the look of this hot hatch. Photos curtesy of Autoblog, click on the links below to take a look.

The Front
I must admit, at first I was a little taken aback by the new smiling mouth grille opening beneath the bumper on the new 3, but it actually works well on the Mazdaspeed 3. It's probably that the oversized airscoop on the hood balances out the big grille underneath. I also like the organic and fluid grille lines carried over from the Hakaze, Kazamai and Nagare concepts.

The Back
Love it! The handsome shape of the last 3 hatch is carried over, with bigger tail lights, which is very welcome. I love the muscular humps over the rear tires. Love it.

The Profile
A nice evolution from the old model. The proportions are much better than the Subaru WRX, the nose doesn't seem awkwardly long and does not have the long overhand on the Subaru.

The Ugly
The interior is pretty bad, like it's from the 1990s. I don't understand the obsession Mazda has with orange dials.

Overall I love this new iteration of the Mazdaspeed 3. I would almost trade in my G35s for this one. Almost.

2009 Nissan 370z is less than beautiful

I first encountered the 2009 Nissan Z or the 370z at the 2008 LA Auto Show a few weeks ago in November. It was rolled out on stage at Nissan’s press conference after the new 2009 Nissan Cube, a first for North America. The new Z is a shout back to the original 1969 240z, while the last 350z was a return to the 1987 300 ZX styling.

First, the good. The overall look and feel of the new 370z is more organic and dynamic, and the shorter wheelbase makes the car look sportier. I like the fact that the roofline droops down after the A pillar, giving it the new GT-R look as well as the original 240 Z look. Dig that. Might make you bump your head more getting in and out of the car but hey, it’s a low price to pay to look good. Also like the new GT-R-like grill opening on the front, it’s much more dramatic than the 350z’s.

Now, the bad. I don’t like the beltline of the new car. I know it droops down from the A pillar and curves back up after the B pillar to match that of the original 240z, but it’s just not done right. It doesn’t have the grace of the 240z and looks contrived. Looks like the designer sneezed while drawing the line and abruptly and awkwardly finished the line behind the door. And again, Nissan, please lose that horrendous vertical door handle. This one is no better.

Finally, the ugly. I just can’t get used to the weird headlights like the ones you see on the new Maxima, it’s just weird. Worse than the Maxima, the new Z’s tail lights also have the strange swoosh shape that for some reason just rubs me the wrong way. Kind of like wearing matching colors - a green hat and green shorts, which my wife informs me is a major fashion faux-pas.

In conclusion, I feel that the Nissan designers could have done much , much better with the new Z. C’mon, this is such a great car to work with. It has such a rich history with very distinctive designs, I think the designers just should’ve done better. Maybe they had, but the execs or Carlos overrode them. Sigh…The car does get the awesome 3.7 liter V6 from the Infiniti G37, however, but this blog is all about being 100% superficial and not about the underlying awesomeness of the mechanics or lack there of. Chang out.