Nissan Almost Axed the Maxima

Nissan is bragging about its 2016 Maxima now, but things could have been a lot different.

According to a recent report from Automotive News, the Maxima was on the chopping block just four years ago before CEO Carlos Ghosn gave a new Maxima project the green light. Current vice president of North American product planning, Pierre Loing, admitted that the Maxima had a good chance of being axed and his first task on the job in 2012 was to convince upper management that the nameplate needed to live on. Originally introduced in 1981, the Maxima is actually Nissan’s longest-selling nameplate in the U.S. due to the Z nameplate being discontinued for several years. Loing argues that the Maxima moniker has better name recognition than the Nissan brand itself.

SEE ALSO: 2016 Nissan Maxima SR Bests BMW, Audi on the Track

The new 2016 Nissan Maxima will go on sale in the U.S. June 2 and along with its sporty styling, the automaker tweaked its powerplant to offer 10 additional horsepower and better fuel economy while the interior gets refined seating. Recently, the company bragged about how the 2016 Nissan Maxima SR bested the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 around the track.

“When I look at this car, I’m proudest of the fact that it’s here at all,” said Takeshi Yamaguchi, who was Nissan North America’s vice president for vehicle engineering and vehicle program management for the 2016 Nissan Maxima. “And on top of that, I’m proud of that fact that we took the Maxima beyond where it was, instead of taking it backward.”

[Source: Automotive News]

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