2013 Nissan Sentra caught completely uncovered

Just days after our spy photographers caught the 2013 Nissan Sentra doing its best zebra impersonation, we now have photos of the automaker's new compact sedan completely uncovered (okay, so the badge is covered) attempting to hide under the cloak of night. To no one's surprise, this nearly production-ready Sentra looks exactly like what we expected – that is to say, a baby version of the recently introduced Altima, or more to the point, an Americanized version of the Sylphy sedan that was unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show back in April.

Word on the street is that the Sentra will be powered by a direct-injected 1.8-liter inline-four, mated to either Nissan's Xtronic continuously variable transmission or a six-speed manual. If the CVT's improvements are anything like what what we've tested in the new Altima, the Sentra should be poised to offer substantial fuel economy improvements versus its predecessor.

We'll have the full skinny when Nissan officially unveils the 2013 Sentra at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show, but for now, scroll through our high-res image gallery to see the new Sentra's swoopier skin.