Nissan's studying the Altima's segment hard, looking for nooks and crannies to poke Altima variants into. The first volley is the coupe, which rides on a shortened platform and shares only the hood with the longer Altima sedan. The lines of the coupe would lend themselves quite well to having a roofectomy, and it would offer another choice in the affordable four-passenger convertible market. Up until recently, droptop motoring at reasonable prices were the domain of such snoozefests as the Sebring convertible and the Solara. The Altima has a decidedly sporty bent, and though body stiffening would add weight, we'd still expect to see it post solid midpack acceleration numbers while being surefooted (for a puller) and rewarding to drive.
The knock on coupes lately has been claims of waning public interest. Nissan seems to think that it was more a case of public ennui with aged, dispassionate product. With the recent introduction of the Volkswagen Eos, Volvo's new C70, Pontiac G6, and the new Chrysler Sebring convertible, there's now a plethora of choice in the four-seat top down tourer end of the spectrum. The Altima, specifically its athletic demeanor, would help further wake up the segment, and much of the work is already done. We just hope that the sporty lines of the Altima coupe are retained, regardless if the top is cloth or metal. We also hope that once Nissan gets done with the convertible, it turns its attention to the Altima wagon that also gets mentioned. Now that would be sweet.
[Source: Inside Line]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mikiyas @ May 29th 2007 4:27AM
whats so special about a WAGON ? the shape of the coupe resembles the Z tho... i like it.
Blake @ May 29th 2007 4:37AM
Wagons are as versatile as SUVs but safer, more fuel efficient, and are more fun to drive.
rem83 @ May 29th 2007 7:46AM
Wagons are pretty awesome, I have a '92 Roadmaster wagon which I used to tow my Miata 1600 miles when I moved in January (although it averaged about 13.5 mpg at 75 mph with the trailer on the back). Normally it gets about 23 mpg on the highway, although it handles as badly as any SUV I've ever driven. Unfortunately no one has made a wagon since the Roadmaster that has the same capability, and the Altima isn't going to change that.
Mehdi Cheddadi @ May 29th 2007 7:34AM
Alitma coupe = car of the year
Heydn @ May 29th 2007 7:43AM
Great speech bubble
Avinash machado @ May 29th 2007 8:34AM
Looks better than the Sebring convertible.
BC @ May 29th 2007 8:42AM
I would be all over an Altima wagon!
Ligor @ May 29th 2007 9:42AM
I'd be all over a G35 wagon
forget the Altima wagnon and bring the G35 wagon
Kovacovich @ May 29th 2007 11:30AM
I know that many automobile manufacturers have considered the coupe market to be dead, but the coupe market fell off due to the lack of interesting, properly styled products. Who is the candidate that would seek and desire a coupe? A young person, a single person, a person that prefers the youthful lifestyle, women, and anyway that prefers the sports car look with a functional twist. Now that trucks and SUV's have seen a decline in sales due to gas prices, there are going to be many that are looking for something that goes a step beyond the family car image...something with the sporty flair. The 08 Honda Accord Coupe, the Nissan Altima Coupe, and the Pontiac G6 Coupe are all going to bring a flair to this category again that will draw consumers to the dealerships. Next step convertible...yes...I can see the market is ripe for this one.
Glen4Hesperia,CA @ May 29th 2007 12:02PM
Come on everyone. Wagons? Those were the minivans for the soccer moms before minivans were built. Station Wagons??? A wagon is not an SUV and if you call it wagon or crossover...well...it is still the wagon. Dull, boring, and it is not a truck or SUV.
RockStoneSteel @ May 29th 2007 11:08PM
There is absolutely a market for 2 door coupes. This is quite evident from the robust sales of vehicles like the Honda Accord coupe, Civic coupe, BMW Mini, and Mustang. Unfortunately, the selection of 2 door vehicles from other makes is ridiculously limited. I would love a Mazda 3 or Mazda 6 in a 2 door coupe or 3 door hatchback. But instead they provide a stodgy 4 door sedan and 4 door station wagon. Same with Chrysler and many other makes. Chrysler somewhat doomed itself to irrelevance by reintroducing the Charger as a 4 door.
There are people such as myself that will forever equate a 4 door vehicle with being stodgy, ranking up there with minivans. There always has been and always will be a market for 2 door coupes, simply because of their cleaner, leaner lines and the greater ease of entry/exit for the front occupants.