2017 NISSAN MAXIMA SR brings the unexpected…

The beauty of getting to drive a lot of cars is that it reveals many things.

And while most people would think you’d begin to notice all the faults and inconsistencies of cars and design, the exact opposite is actually true.

What stands out in cars as they arrive at my pad is what I notice. What decisions did the car manufacturers make that separated them from the rest of the heap?

Cars can begin to blend together when you get as many as I do. But when a car shows up that truly raises the bar, you’re reminded of the fun of driving rather than the mechanical act of just getting somewhere.

The 2017 Nissan Maxima SR is such a car and, at a little over $40K, it enters into a low-end luxury class but feels high-end. The design of the car is racy, especially in the dark red over black rims and black multi-clad interior.

The Maxima has really evolved over the years into a world-class design champ and has a great language that has become its own.

Mirrored with a 3.5l DOHC 24Valve V6 with 300hp and 261 lb-ft torque, the raciness is just about right.

It’s a sprinter when it needs to be, a luxo-cruiser when it needs to be and an all-around PCH mover. I like it. I mean I really like it.

It’s a hard thing to separate yourself from the rest. It’s generally considered an ego thing to stand out, but it’s really about giving something to the world that the world can love. And that brings us to the whole point.

It may seem that car companies are in it for the money. But go a bit deeper inside this idea and you’ll have to ask one question: Why? Why make the money? Why is society so consumed with it?

Well, the answer is simple, and many will scoff at it, but it’s my belief that in order to get something from the world, you have to give it something first. And our job is to put as much love into the world as we can while fending off incoming stabs, accusations and negativity.

How do you get the best from the world? Just give it your best. Are you doing that? Are you willing to step up and do that?

It seems like Nissan is — and has been for many years. My second car was a Nissan Sentra in 1985 and I loved that car and was sad when I finally sold it many years later.

But the Nissan brand and its commitment to making the world a better place through its products stuck with me. I’d buy one again.

So it comes down to this, as always. Buy a car because of the way it makes you feel and for no other reason. In fact, buy all things that way and your life will slowly evolve, too.

Have a great week, folks.

Want to be featured in Ride of the Week? Send Fireball an email at askfireball@fireballtim.com.

More »

(0) Comments|Posted in Blog

Comments are not available

Discover more from FIREBALL TIM

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading