The Nissan Maxima is a mid-size/entry-level luxury car manufactured by Nissan, marketed as the "four-door sports car". The origins of the Maxima began in July 1976 as the Datsun 810, an upscale six-cylinder version of the Bluebird, and was spun into its own line in 1981, having been made continuously since then. The "Maxima" name was applied gradually, beginning in 1981. Most pre-2004 Maximas were built in Oppama, Japan, until the current North American Maximas started being assembled in Smyrna, Tennessee.