While the Nissan Z Proto is easily the biggest news to come from Nissan in a long while, one of its longest-running nameplates is also sharing the spotlight. The Maxima reached a milestone for the 2021 model year and to celebrate it, Nissan is releasing a 40^th Anniversary Edition. It has a new color scheme inside and out as well as a few other special-edition goodies. But is it really all that special?

It’s a little more than a top-trim Nissan Maxima

The Nissan Maxima made its debut in 1981 and has gone through a multitude of iterations since then. Now in its eighth generation, Nissan’s mid-size family sedan, which they once dubbed the “4-Door Sports Car,” was completely reworked for the 2015 model year and has now been spruced up to celebrate its 40^th Anniversary. To celebrate the occasion, this special-edition Maxima has been covered with a Ruby Slate Gray Pearl paint job complete with a black-contrasting roofline.

To complement the sleek motif, a set of 19-inch gloss black aluminum-alloy wheels sit beneath the fenders, while black exterior trim pieces – which includes black 40^th Anniversary badges – and black exhaust tips round out the theme. The special theme extends to the interior of the car, which is adorned in red semi-aniline leather seating surfaces with 40^th Anniversary embossing on the front seats as well as satin dark chrome interior trim pieces. There are also white gauges in the instrument cluster as well, which is reminiscent of past Maxima models, according to Nissan.

But it’s still just a top-trim Nissan Maxima

Aside from the aforementioned 40^th Anniversary add-ons, this special Maxima is still just a Platinum trim underneath it all. This means that it’s still powered by the same 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 300 hp and 261 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a CVT that transmits power to the front wheels, as well as Nissan’s suite of driver-assist features that includes adaptive cruise control, intelligent lane intervention, and blind-spot warning.

Other creature comforts include an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a Bose premium sound system with 11 speakers, heated and cooled front seats, and heater rear seats, which are pulled from the top-trim Platinum Reserve. There’s no word on pricing for the 40^th Anniversary Maxima just yet, however, the Platinum model carries a price tag of around $41,840, while the Platinum Reserve costs around $1,000 more. If we had to guess, the special trim will likely cost around $44,000 for the additional features and we would be surprised if it went up to $45,000.

Is it really that special?

Technically speaking, if you’re a huge fan of Nissan’s flagship model and just need to get your hands on everything that has to do with the Maxima, then, by all means, this 40^th Anniversary edition is something special. But if you’re looking for more power or more athleticism than you find on a standard-issue Maxima, then you won’t find it with this special edition. You might have to wait until the 50^th anniversary, in that case. Or just spend less and buy a Platinum Reserve-trimmed Maxima.