Nissan North America today unveiled the all-new 2009 Nissan Maxima at the 2008 New York International Auto Show. The seventh-generation of Nissan's flagship performance sedan features new exterior and interior designs, along with enhanced performance from a revised 290-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine. The 2009 Maxima goes on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide beginning in early summer 2008.

Nissan also showed a special design concept electric vehicle, the Denki Cube Concept. The Denki (Japanese for "electric") Cube Concept is based on the current Japan-market Nissan Cube, a small, space- and fuel-efficient urban car. Nissan has announced that a gasoline engine-equipped version of the next-generation Nissan Cube will be available in the United States in 2009.

Also on display at the auto show is the dramatic new 480-horsepower Nissan GT-R supercar, which will be available for the first time ever in the United States beginning in July 2008; the recently introduced 2009 Nissan Murano crossover; and the complete lineup of 2008 Nissan cars, SUVs and trucks. The 2008 New York International Auto Show is open to the public from March 21 through March 30.

About the 2009 Nissan Maxima

Designed as a commanding four-door sports car, the 2009 Nissan Maxima is unique in both appearance and driving feel, with renewed relevance for today's active and ambitious sedan buyers. High targets were established for the development of the new Maxima, including the goal of creating "the best performing front engine, front-wheel drive car in the world," along with the goals of class-leading acceleration, braking, handling, craftsmanship and cockpit design.

The breakthrough exterior design of the new Nissan Maxima imparts a feeling of "liquid motion," which combines an aggressive stance and powerful fender design - not unlike many exotic sports cars on the market today. Maxima's new stance comes, in part, from a slight reduction in wheelbase and overall length, along with a wider front and rear track.

The new Nissan Maxima's interior design team developed an interior concept of "Super Cockpit" - imparting the feeling of sports car with controls ergonomically close, yet with ample roominess and comfort for both driver and passengers. The interior includes a special driver's sport seat, available leather-appointed seating, offset shifter lever that is closer to the driver, "Daylight Illumination" gauges and a wide range of available technology, including a premium audio system, RearView Monitor and Nissan Hard Drive Navigation system with XM NavTraffic(R) real-time traffic information (active XM(R) subscription required, sold separately), Voice Recognition and 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive.

The new Nissan Maxima offers a more powerful engine, quicker acceleration response and a performance-oriented tuned exhaust note. The 2009 Maxima again features a standard award-winning 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve VQ-series V6 engine, enhanced and refined to take driving performance to new levels. The revised engine 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 engine. All 2009 Maximas come equipped with a revised standard Xtronic CVT(TM) with manual mode, tuned specifically for Maxima's sporty driving character, and available paddle shifters. A new "Ds mode" (drive sport) is added to the CVT for 2009.