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What is it?
2008 Nissan Altima Coupe
What's special about it?
Built on the same front-wheel-drive platform as the Altima sedan, the 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe is an attempt to inject some life into the otherwise invisible midsize coupe segment.
Nissan figured a good place to start was in the design department, giving the Altima coupe almost entirely new sheet metal. Although it shares some obvious similarities to the sedan, the only shared piece of bodywork between the two is the hood.
Without a set of rear doors, the Nissan Altima coupe comes in 7 inches shorter and 2.5 inches lower than the sedan. It also rides on a 4-inch-shorter wheelbase. Since Nissan's midsize "D" platform was designed as a high-performance front-wheel-drive platform to begin with, the Altima coupe doesn't make any fundamental changes to the suspension design. There are still struts up front and a multilink setup in back along with standard front and rear antiroll bars, but the entire setup was specially tuned for the coupe.
Depending on its weight, straight-line performance should be similar to the sedan as the Altima coupe will offer the same engine and transmission options. Base models get a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder while top-of-the-line versions sport Nissan's burly 270-hp 3.5-liter V6. Buyers can get either engine with a CVT or a six-speed manual. Models with the CVT have steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters that offer "manual" control of the gearless CVT.
Interior changes are minimal compared to the sedan. Sport seats with added side bolstering are the most noticeable difference. All coupes get a hand brake along with a 60/40-split-folding rear seat. Like the sedan, the Altima coupe will offer high-tech options like a keyless ignition, Bluetooth connectivity and a nine-speaker Bose audio system.
Sales of the 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe are scheduled to begin next summer.
What's Edmunds' take?
Like the G35 coupe, the Altima coupe offers gorgeous, striking styling. The new looks, combined with the available V6 and six-speed manual transmission, offer some genuine attitude in a segment filled with vanilla mediocrity. Just don't call it Nissan's Monte Carlo. — Josh Jacquot
What is it?
2008 Nissan Altima Coupe
What's special about it?
Built on the same front-wheel-drive platform as the Altima sedan, the 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe is an attempt to inject some life into the otherwise invisible midsize coupe segment.
Nissan figured a good place to start was in the design department, giving the Altima coupe almost entirely new sheet metal. Although it shares some obvious similarities to the sedan, the only shared piece of bodywork between the two is the hood.
Without a set of rear doors, the Nissan Altima coupe comes in 7 inches shorter and 2.5 inches lower than the sedan. It also rides on a 4-inch-shorter wheelbase. Since Nissan's midsize "D" platform was designed as a high-performance front-wheel-drive platform to begin with, the Altima coupe doesn't make any fundamental changes to the suspension design. There are still struts up front and a multilink setup in back along with standard front and rear antiroll bars, but the entire setup was specially tuned for the coupe.
Depending on its weight, straight-line performance should be similar to the sedan as the Altima coupe will offer the same engine and transmission options. Base models get a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder while top-of-the-line versions sport Nissan's burly 270-hp 3.5-liter V6. Buyers can get either engine with a CVT or a six-speed manual. Models with the CVT have steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters that offer "manual" control of the gearless CVT.
Interior changes are minimal compared to the sedan. Sport seats with added side bolstering are the most noticeable difference. All coupes get a hand brake along with a 60/40-split-folding rear seat. Like the sedan, the Altima coupe will offer high-tech options like a keyless ignition, Bluetooth connectivity and a nine-speaker Bose audio system.
Sales of the 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe are scheduled to begin next summer.
What's Edmunds' take?
Like the G35 coupe, the Altima coupe offers gorgeous, striking styling. The new looks, combined with the available V6 and six-speed manual transmission, offer some genuine attitude in a segment filled with vanilla mediocrity. Just don't call it Nissan's Monte Carlo. — Josh Jacquot
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