Nissan Altima Coupe

The Nissan Altima midsize sedan is about to get a new sibling, a two-door coupe version that should offer the sporty handling and performance that characterize the sedan.

Like Toyota with its Camry sedan and Solara coupe, Honda with its Accord sedan and coupe, Chrysler with its Sebring sedan and retractable-roof coupe, and Pontiac with its G6 sedan and coupe, Nissan will offer a midsize vehicle for those who don’t need a four-door sedan.

The Altima coupe was unveiled at the LA Auto Show, where its sleek design drew a lot of traffic. Many who saw the vehicle for the first time thought it was Nissan’s most attractive styling effort since the launch of the Infiniti G35 coupe, the upscale coupe that shares its underpinnings with the Nissan 350Z sports car.

The Altima coupe shares its underpinnings with the Altima sedan, so it has front-wheel drive.

Like the Altima sedan, the coupe will be available with the choice of a 175-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine or a 270-hp 3.5-liter V6. Buyers will have their choice between a six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission, or CVT.

The coupe design features a five-sided grille set between large headlamps that sweep back over the front fenders. The windshield is raked back to reinforce the coupe’s sporty design. The coupe’s roofline is 2.5 inches lower than the sedan’s and flows back into a long and nicely sculpted tail section that narrows between wide shoulders above prominent wheel arches. The tail treatment includes a spoiler edge to the rear deck lid and large tail lamps that accentuate the car’s sporty styling and enhance its wide stance.

Inside, the cockpit features trim with a metallic finish. Nissan has applied a “Fine Vision” title to the design of the instrument panel and gauges. The coupe has a standard “intelligent” key with push-button starting, sports-style front seats and various storage compartments.

A Bose audio system and Bluetooth hands-free telephone are among the options.

Safety features will include front and side airbags for the front seats and side-curtain airbags that cover both rows.

The back seat offers a 60/40 split and folding seatback that provides expanded cargo capacity.

While based on the Altima sedan, the coupe is smaller, by 7.1 inches in overall length and by 4.0 inches in wheelbase. The suspension will be tuned to provide the driver with a more nimble responsiveness. That suggests the coupe will offer sportier handling than the Altima sedan, already among the sportiest entries in the class.

Source : www.nctd.com