This mid-size luxury sedan arrived for the 2002 model year as a renamed and mildly updated successor to the earlier V6-powered entry in the brand’s sedan lineup. The change to a new numeric badge reflected its larger 3.5-liter engine and positioned it as the more comfort-oriented companion to the newer sport sedan in the range. In period, it was sold as a front-wheel-drive luxury performance car aimed at buyers who wanted a quieter, more traditional alternative to the brand’s sportier offerings.
Across its short run, the car stayed focused on a single mission rather than being reinvented each year. The 2003 model brought only minor refinements, while the 2004 version added a few more standard convenience and appearance features. Under the hood, it used Nissan’s VQ-series V6, a well-regarded engine family that helped give the sedan a reputation for smooth power and reliability rather than outright aggression.
The nameplate did not continue beyond the 2004 model year, and there was no second production era later on. In the brand’s history, it stands as one of the final front-wheel-drive sedans before the lineup moved more decisively toward rear-wheel-drive performance models and crossovers.