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30 - Friday, November 25, 1988 - North Shore News

IT’S A sleek and sporty
five-seater, a totally new
design from the ground up.

The 1989 Maxima is the biggest
and roomiest sedan that Nissan has
ever brought to North America.

It is also the most sophisticated,
boasting numerous new features —
all intended to enhance perfor-
mance, comfort and efficiency.

“In the past, certain luxury cars
have tended towards garish
gadgetry,’’ says a Nissan
spokesman. “In the new Maxima,
however, we’re intent upon
understated good taste and the in-
telligent application of useful
technology.”’

Maxima’s design process began
with creation of a totally new
four-door bodyshell, spacious
enough to seat five large adults.

Compared to its predecessor, the
1989 Maxima offers 8.8 cm (3,5
inches) more interior cabin length,
and more than 7.6 cm (3 inches) of
additional shoulder room.

The new car is also more than
15.5 cm (6 inches) longer and 7 cm
(2.75 inches) wider. It stands on a

wheelbase almost 10 em (4 inches)

longer.
Yet, thanks to innovative,
weight-saving construction tech-

niques, this longer, wider. roomier
Maxima is no heavier than its
smaller predecessor.

The aerodynamically sleek nose
of the new Maxima conceals a
well-tried and sure-footed front-
wheel-drive powertrain.

The engine is a smooth-running
fuel-injected 3-litre V-6 — essen-
tially the same rugged powerplant
that powers the 300ZX sports car
and many of Nissan’s front-run-
ning race cars.

In the 1989 Maxima, however,
this V4 is rated at 160 horsepower,
and offers noticeably more torque
than its predecessors. This
translates into smoother accelera-
tion — at both high and low
speeds.

Engine refinements include a
new dual-plenum induction
manifold design, a combustion
knock sensor, plus a recalibrated
ignition system.

“Adaptive Control" allows the
engine to sense the octane grade of

issan designs
odel from

su

THE VOICE OF NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER

Photes submitted

A SLICK-SHIFTING five-speed manual transmission is optional on the sports version of the Maxima — the
SE.

unleaded gasoline being used, and
to adjust itself to offer best-possi-
ble performance.

There’s a choice of two
transmissions. The automatic is a
new computer-controlled four-
speed, offering smooth shifting

and greater efficiency. A_ slick-
shifting five-speed manual
transmission is optional on the
sports version of the Maxima —
the SE.

Three models of Maxima are
sold in Canada — the SE (sports),

and the GXE (luxury), and the
Brougham (top-of-the-line with
leather upholstery and a full range
of electronic equipment). All

See Maxima
Page 31