Nissan Sport Sedan Concept on Detroit Auto Show 2014

The all-new 2015 Nissan Maxima is due later this year. And to tease the production version that will bow at the New York Auto Show in April, Nissan has presented a sporty new concept at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show that previews the styling of its 'four-door sports car' as well as all its future sedans.

From its swooping, three-dimensional sides, to its flying-V headlamps, to its flashy "Strad Amber" coat, it's quite clear that the Sport Sedan is all about playing with styling and making a statement. To craft a sports car out of a sedan, Nissan plants the SSC low to the ground, adds wide proportions, gives it a sharply descending roofline, and attempts to create the ever-popular "projection of motion, even when the vehicle is standing still."

"The innovative roofline, which is also prevalent on Resonance and Friend-ME, makes it seem as if there are no pillars at all, enhancing the sense of athleticism and sportiness," says Nissan Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Shiro Nakamura. "The roofline also contributes to the Sport Sedan Concept's class-leading stance, which balances the look of the substantial lower body and a streamlined cabin."

The Nissan Sports Sedan Concept that debuted in Detroit on January 13 at the North American International Auto Show is a prediction of what is to come in Nissan’s future large sedans. The concept, says Nissan, applies sports car performance standards and a new design philosophy to a 4-door sedan.
Don’t be surprised if the next Maxima looks a lot like this design concept, though Nissan did not confirm that.

We expect that the production sedan inspired by the SSC will lose some of the busy bodywork, but like the Toyota FT-1, this concept previews a future design direction. Nissan says that the concept, along with last year's Friend-ME and Resonance concepts, will influence future production designs. Specifically, it says that the "V-Motion" front-end, boomerang headlights and floating roof shared by those three concept cars will be penned into production-bound vehicles, from sedans to crossovers.