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Back to April 2012 Motorsports News Archive
| 10-04-2012 at 08:00: 2013 Altima Shown in New York and Coming to Oz | |
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Making its world debut at the New York International Auto Show, the 2013 Nissan Altima is once again poised to become the new benchmark in the hotly contested American segment when it goes on sale at Nissan US retailers nationwide later this year. Nissan Australia has said that the all-new Altima will arrive in Australian Showrooms in the second half of 2013 “The new Altima is already the second most successful passenger sedan in the USA with sales of more than 20,000 per month,” said Nissan Australia CEO Bill Peffer. “Its appearance in Australia will be a strategic boost to our ever improving passenger car line up and will offer a compelling alternative to the familiar products in this segment. Altima will also raise the bar in motorsport as Nissan’s entry in the 2013 V8 Supercar Championship where it will introduce modern generation sedan styling and technology.” Nissan Australia executives were joined in New York by Kelly Racing co-owner and driver Rick Kelly and CEO John Crennan, for a closer look at Altima as the team prepares to build the factory entry into the V8 Supercars Championship from 2013.
“In a segment as critical as this, with longtime nameplates and new challengers fighting for every sale, it’s not enough to just target the competition. You have to think outside – and far above – the segment,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Nissan North America, Inc. “We created the new Altima to set a clearly recognized benchmark for many years to come. “The safe thing to do would be to follow other automakers’ paths, conservatively evolving the Altima so as not to upset the existing owner base. But that would not be in keeping with Nissan’s ‘Innovation for All’ philosophy,” explained Carolin. “We took our most successful model and changed nearly everything – the look, the feel, the driving experience and, of course, the technology down to even the headlights and windshield wipers.” Among the new Altima’s many new features, perhaps the one that stands out most is its “class above” appeal, which is apparent at first look and first touch of both the exterior and interior executions. The 2013 Altima’s all-new exterior design starts with its wide, aggressive stance and dramatic front end styling. Though retaining the same wheelbase as the previous generation Altima, it has a wider front and rear track (+1.4 inches) and deeper fenders (+0.8 inches each side) – which combine with a crisp new grille design, seamless bumper and projector-type headlights to create a bold, sophisticated appearance.
In the desire to help reduce the fatigue experienced during long commutes or extended road trips, Nissan turned to seating and posture research from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). According to NASA, the least fatiguing seats are those that come closest to a “neutral posture” – a relaxed position that the human body takes in a weightless environment. Utilizing a new articulated seat shape with continuous support from the pelvis to the chest and distribution of localized deformation characteristics, the “zero-gravity” Altima seats help reduce muscular and spinal loads, and improve blood flow – thereby helping reduce fatigue over long periods behind the wheel. Seat surface perforations provide increased ventilation, breathability and comfort. Heated front seats are also available. Along with premium seat comfort, the new Altima offers premium quietness through efforts to reduce cabin noise coming from the powertrain (new engine and exhaust mount designs), climate system (increased HVAC mounting rigidity) and the body (increased body rigidity) versus the previous Altima design. New noise absorption materials with a 30 percent increase in absorption capability (versus previous Altima) are also used throughout the cabin, including areas such as the roof trim, instrument panel and floor mats. The 2013 Altima offers standard cloth seating with a 6-way driver’s seat and a 4-way adjustable front passenger seat, 60/40 split folding rear bench seat with armrest, and Piano Black interior trim with chrome finish accents. The new Altima offers numerous segment defining attributes that enhance the ownership experience and provide real customer value, including: Targeted best-in-segment 38 mpg highway fuel economy* (2.5-liter engine)Premium exterior styling with a powerful presence and improved aerodynamicsUpscale interior rivaling premium luxury sedans, including NASA-inspired “zero-gravity” seats, an Advanced Drive-Assist™ Display and BOSE® Premium Audio SystemAn outstanding balance of ride comfort, stability and fun-to-drive demeanor, including projected best-level accelerationStandard Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone System and Streaming Audio via Bluetooth®Next-generation Safety Shield Technologies, including Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Moving Object Detection (MOD) systemsTire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with Easy Fill Tire Alert (US specs only)“The new Altima represents an astonishing transformation – fresh but still pure Altima, aggressive and premium at the same time. The new look is fit and athletic, just the way Altima drives,” added Carolin. |
Two decades after the original Nissan Altima revolutionized the traditional mid-size sedan segment in North America, Nissan’s best-selling vehicle is about to shake up the category all over again.
The 2013 Altima is one of five all-new Nissan models set for introduction in the US in the next 15 months and, as the second best-selling car in the United States in 2011, much is riding on the new fifth generation Altima.
Altima’s new “premium proportions” continue with the longer sloping rear roofline and raised boot that combine to create a more fluid silhouette. The A-pillar angle is now slightly more sloped, and the drip rail has been lowered and the waistline raised. In addition, the deep-stamped boot has been raised and expanded. The new body design is capped by large taillights (with LED taillights standard on SL models) that flow from the rear into the bodysides. Chrome trim and door handles accent the available palette of eight rich exterior colours. Attention to aerodynamic fine-tuning gives the new Altima a lower coefficient of drag.^ Back to top ^
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