Redesigned Sentra's styling bombed
 

So apparently it looked so bad focus groups hated it and Ghosn ordered them back to the drawing board. This raises two questions in my mind:
1. How could it have POSSIBLY been any worse than the current model?
and 2. Where were these focus groups when they designed the Z, the Maxima, the Titan/Armada/QX, the G35, the FX? :p


http://autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101618

Damn, I want to know what it looked like!

As for your questions...
1. It can ALWAYS be worse *exception: Scion xB
2. Yeah, those focus groups should be smacked

We have to find a picture of it. It must be FUGLY!

http://www.automotivearticles.com/Re..._Delayed.shtml

It's funny you mention the Scion Xb, according to the above article Nissan might bring over the CUBE!

Dig it....the Cube...22 inch wheels...Spinners.....

hmmm cube or xB, now i'm not sure which is uglier...lets just destroy them all to make sure

The xb isn't that bad. Done up a little bit it's kind of nice looking, cheap enough, and gets 35 mpg.

The good thing about Nissan is it really listens to people and will make a change(for the better) in a hearbeat.

I know you're joking but I love the way the Z and G35 looks. The Armada and FX look good to me too. Then again, I also like the xB. Admittedly when I first saw it I HATED it. I thought it was one of the ugliest things ever. But it kinda grew on me. Now the Aztek I hated when I first saw it and I still hate it. That car is FUGLY.

Actually I was only half joking. I find all the ones I listed pretty ugly and not appealing in the least.

You forgot the Murano as one of Nissan's stying triumphs:)

I think the FX looks great...when you put it next to a murano

I too hated the xB when I saw it for the 1st time. Maybe I'm getting old. I dunno. But it has drawn me in.

I love the FX and the G35. Nissan has really been kicking ass in the design department lately in my book.

Nissan design has been great if you ask me. Not crazy about the new Maxima grill but other than that very nice looking car along with the rest of their line overall.

Let's just hope Nissan's styling doesn't go the same way as Renault's...........

My issue with the new maxima is not that it's ugly, it's not, just uninspired. I liked the old style better, and it's always bad when styling takes a step in the wrong direction. Also I don't like this thing that all the car companies seem to be doing by making all their cars look the same, with slight differences. Ford doesn't seem to be doing it, so I will thank them for staying interesting.

The Maxima almost has a great looking car. From the rear it's nice, the engine and interior are a good upgrade, but the front? I don't know what to make of it there. It's a solid performer nonetheless.

I had a 95 Maxima, great engine and nice car overall, especially considering the other options at the time. My issue with the new Maxima is how freaking big it is compared to the old one. Nissan didn't really have much choice though since the new Altima was larger than the current Maxima. It made sense from a business standpoint to make the Maxima larger to compete with cars like the Avalon and have the Altima be their midsized, but it lost some of the sport in sports sedan when they did so. Kind of a shame because sports sedan is probably in our vocabulary because of the Maxima.

Just as long as Nissan does away with the "bucktooth" grill that they have on the new Maxima and Sentra, I'll be happy with whatever they put out...

Nissan hit their styling peak in the 90's -- Z32, S14-S15 Silvias, R32-R34 Skylines... their new designs are crap compared to those cars.