Though there were rumours and even spyshots (see below), Nissan Motor Co. finally squelched all speculation when it unveiled the new Altima coupe at the second 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show this month.
According to the automaker, the coupe has been designed for customers who want a more personal, sporty styling than offered by the sedan. The coupe is built on the company’s new “D” platform to give it great stability and rigidity while hitting those winding roads.
Two engines, a 2.5 liter inline 4 and a 3.5 liter V-6, are offered combined with either Nissan’s Xtronic Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) or, sticking with the coupe’s sportier feel, manual transmission.
The coupe offers plenty of safety and technological gadgetry such as front seat side-impact airbags and optional navigation system with real-time traffic reports.
Pricing details are not available at this time. The 2008 Altima coupe goes on sale next summer.
Our take? We wonder at Nissan’s strategy. The company already offers the 350Z under the brand. For those desiring more luxury (and less noise), Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti offers the stunning G35 coupe. We feel pricing of the Altima coupe will be crucial since potential buyers will most likely consider the other two vehicles as choices.
The next generation 2007 Altima sedan, which went on sale in November 2006, is attracting a range of new buyers – not only with its greatly enhanced styling, dynamic performance, innovative technology and available features, but also with a new Altima Hybrid (on sale in January 2007). Joining these models in summer 2007 will be yet another dramatic new member of the Altima family, the Altima Coupe.
The Altima Coupe, which made its debut at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show, fills a desire among target customers for a more personal expression of style, individuality and fashionable appearance. Its unique exterior design is intended to stand out in a crowd of sedan-based two-door models with sophisticated, perfectly proportioned styling with a shorter wheelbase and shorter overall length than the Altima Sedan.
The smaller size and lighter overall weight also contribute to the Coupe’s sportier driving feel – other desired attributes of the typically younger, more performance-oriented coupe buyers.
The Altima Coupe’s performance feeling is enhanced by a driver-centered interior. Though sharing much of the design and features with the new Altima Sedan interior, the Coupe includes unique sports-style front seats with more side support, in-board release lever and front kangaroo pouches. The Coupe also includes a 60/40 split/flat fold-down rear seat.
Along with its all-new exterior and personal interior, the Altima Coupe utilizes the all-new Nissan “D” platform with increased body rigidity and a redesigned suspension. This platform was developed with the objective of making Altima one of the best performing large front-wheel drive vehicles available globally.
The Altima Coupe will be available with a choice of the award-winning VQ-series 3.5-liter V6 or powerful 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engines, each offered with either a smooth 6-speed manual transmission or Nissan’s advanced Xtronic CVT™ (Continuously Variable Transmission).
Also offered is a long list of user-friendly technology features – including standard Intelligent Key with Push Button Ignition, available Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone System, an advanced touch-screen navigation system with XM? RealTime Traffic updates and RearView Monitor. Standard safety equipment includes front-seat side-impact supplemental air bags, side-impact curtain supplemental air bags and Zone Body construction.
The Nissan Altima Coupe goes on sale in summer 2007 as a 2008 model at Nissan retailers nationwide.
Highlights of the 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe include:
Body
• Sporty and sophisticated exterior design, with all major exterior body panels (except hood) different from Altima Sedan
• Unique grille and front headlights design, unique rear combination lamps
• 4.0-inch shorter wheelbase than Altima Sedan (105.3 versus 109.3 inches) for enhanced style
• 7.1-inch shorter overall length, with reduced rear overhang, than Altima Sedan (182.5 versus 189.6 inches)
• 2.5-inch shorter overall height than Altima Sedan (55.3 versus 57.8 inches)
• Unique 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and tailpipe finishers (V6 models)
Engine and Driveline
• “Next generation” 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 with 270 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque or refined 2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve inline 4-cylinder with 175 horsepower (170 hp CAL) and 180 lb-ft torque (175 lb-ft CAL)
• Standard dual exhaust with both engines
• Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) designed for fluid-feeling performance and efficient operation – V6 utilizes an all-new controller with adaptive logic and is performance-tuned
• Xtronic CVTs available with both V6 and 4-cylinder engines
• Refined 6-speed manual transmission with a short shift stroke and smooth shifting feel (available with both V6 and 4-cylinder engines)
• Standard Traction Control System (V6 models)
• Available Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)(V6 models)
Suspension, Steering and Braking
• All-new, rigid Nissan “D” platform
• Independent strut with coil springs front suspension design, with equal-length, equal-angle, near parallel to the ground half shafts – virtually eliminating torque steer
• Advanced multi-link independent rear suspension design with an emphasis on nimbleness and good ride comfort
• Front and rear stabilizer bars
• Shock absorbers with rebound springs for secure cornering feel
• Power-assisted vehicle-speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering system provides light effort at low speeds, secure feeling at high speeds
• Power-assisted front vented disc/solid rear disc with standard Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA)
• Available 16-inch steel or aluminum-alloy wheels with 215/60R16 tires or unique design 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with 215/55R17 tires
Interior Features
• Sporty, comfortable, highly bolstered front seats, kangaroo pouch on front of seats, inboard release lever (for rear seat passenger convenience)
• Rear 60/40 and flat fold-down rear seat
• High quality interior feel with refined workmanship, use of soft materials (such as padded armrests) and chrome accents, oversize vanity mirror in driver and passenger side sun visors
• Hand lever-style parking brake release (versus foot-release for Altima Sedan CVT models)
• Sporty interior space with innovative amenities, including Fine Vision Gauges display instrument panel, standard Intelligent Key with Push Button Ignition, convenient covered storage compartments, cup or bottle holders
• Available Bose®-developed audio system with 9 speakers, Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone System, dual-zone automatic temperature control
Safety
• Standard Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) with dual-stage air bags and seat belt sensors, standard front-seat side-impact supplemental air bags and standard side-impact curtain supplemental air bags
• Zone Body construction
• Front seat Active Head Restraints
• Front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters
• LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) child seat anchors and tether system
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Models and Manufacturing
• Available in four well-equipped models: 2.5 S 6MT, 2.5 S CVT, 3.5 SE 6MT, 3.5 SE CVT
• Assembled by Nissan North America Manufacturing Smyrna & Decherd, Tennessee Plants