Q-ship #15 - 1995-99 Nissan Maxima SE

By John LeBlanc

Nissan always promoted the Maxima as its "four-door sports car," but the fourth generation model toned down the looks and upped the performance with a brand-new engine, changes that qualify the Maxima as a straight-six.com Q-ship.

Every Q-ship should have lurking beneath its non-descript bodywork an engine that gets the hair on the back of your neck to stand on end. Nissan's VQ engine certainly achieved that. Named one of the best engines of 1996 by Ward's Engine & Vehicle Technology Update, it was described as revving "like a race car powerplant; yet it soothes like a luxury-car engine. An intriguing blend of power and finesse. " Kind of sounds like a good scotch, doesn't it?

What got Ward's all hot and bothered was the way the 24-valve, 3.0-liter V6 went about its business. It responded forthwith to your right foot, and made a sublime partner with the five-speed stick that was a rare option in this usually self-shifting-phobic family sedan segment (Hello? Accord? - Ed.). With 190-hp at 5600, and 205-lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm, this engine leapt from the line imitating an American vee-eight, drove all day with typical Japanese vee-six sophistication, and hurried to its redline like a Bavarian straight-six.

The VQ's strong torque and quick-revving combo made for a broad power band delivery that any enthusiast can judiciously take advantage of while under the cover of stealthy styling. Joe Q's opinion of the Maxima's styling was either bland, insipid, tiresome, dull, mundane, prosaic, and, uh, er, bland. Joe Q-ship's opinion was "woo-hoo!!!"

The first Maxima, introduced by Datsun way back in 1981 as the luxury variant of the 810 sedan, was rear-wheel drive and had a straight-six--a Q-ship in its own right. And despite being more common than some of our other Q-ship candidates, the fourth generation Maxima served up the stick with an awesome engine providing fleet moves and sophisticated cruising, combined with the capability to take a switch-back road.

Engine
configuration straight-6
power 190-hp/205 lb-ft
displacement 3000 cc

Gear box
5-speed manual

Performance
0 - 60 mph 6.6 sec
1/4 mile 15.2 seconds
top speed 135 mph (limited)

Current price: $8,665 - $15,724 US
Q rivals: Camry SE, Passat GLX, Saab 900 Turbo, Taurus SHO
Anti-Q rivals: Mitsu 3000GT, 300ZX, Supra
Q rating: 3/6