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Redesigned Sentra's styling bombed

Old Jan 18, 2005 | 11:37 AM
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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

Nissan Motor Co. delayed the U.S. launch of its redesigned Sentra compact for a year after the proposed styling tanked with consumer test groups, CEO Carlos Ghosn said.
The looks of the planned Sentra successor fared poorly among focus groups last year. Ghosn said he didn't care for it, either.
"It worried me," he said at the Detroit auto show. "People in Nissan liked it, but the clinics hated it. I didn't like the car."
Ghosn ordered Nissan's designers back to the drawing board last summer.

http://autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101618
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 11:39 AM
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Damn, I want to know what it looked like!
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 11:42 AM
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As for your questions...
1. It can ALWAYS be worse *exception: Scion xB
2. Yeah, those focus groups should be smacked
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 11:44 AM
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We have to find a picture of it. It must be FUGLY!
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 11:46 AM
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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!
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 11:49 AM
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Dig it....the Cube...22 inch wheels...Spinners.....
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 11:52 AM
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hmmm cube or xB, now i'm not sure which is uglier...lets just destroy them all to make sure
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 11:55 AM
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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.
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 12:08 PM
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Originally Posted by RX8-79
2. Where were these focus groups when they designed the Z, the Maxima, the Titan/Armada/QX, the G35, the FX? :p
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.
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 12:17 PM
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Actually I was only half joking. I find all the ones I listed pretty ugly and not appealing in the least.
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 12:21 PM
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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
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 03:12 PM
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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 *** in the design department lately in my book.
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 03:20 PM
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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.
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 03:34 PM
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Let's just hope Nissan's styling doesn't go the same way as Renault's...........
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 04:09 PM
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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.
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 04:13 PM
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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.
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 04:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Gambit
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.
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.
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 04:46 PM
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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...
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Old Jan 18, 2005 | 09:11 PM
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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.
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