NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID
The fourth generation Nissan Altima was announced at the 2006 New York Auto Show on April 12, 2006. It is the first vehicle to use the smaller Nissan D platform, with a new front and upgraded rear suspension. The wheelbase is 1-inch (25 mm) shorter than the third generation Altima, but interior space is mostly unchanged. The Maxima andMurano also use this new platform starting with the 2009 models.
The 2007 Nissan Altima uses revised versions of the engines from the third generation model. The VQ35DE 3.5 LV6 engine produces 270 hp, and the QR25DE 2.5 L straight-4 produces 177 hp (132 kW). A 6-speed manual is standard, and a continuously variable transmission replaces the traditional automatic as the optional transmission.
The 2007 Altima sports some more recent innovations in the market, including, but not limited to, standard "push-button start" (Called "Renault Card"), Bluetooth capability for cell phones, and a parking camera. The dashboard has larger buttons for easy readability and a total of nine cup holders, three hidden under the center console, two in the rear armrest, and one 20-ounce cup holder in each door. Several hidden compartments have been added as well as doubling the glove compartment space to 0.46 cubic feet (13 L). For 2008, all Altima models received ABS with electronic brake-force distribution.
Car and Driver tested the inline four cylinder Altima 2.5S w/ CVT to go from 0-60 mph in 7.2 sec; the 6-cylinder model w/ CVT goes 0-60 mph in 6.6 sec according to Edmunds Inside Line.
There has been speculation that the Altima will soon replace the Primera as Nissan's European competitor in the large family car market that is dominated by models such as the Ford Mondeo and Peugeot 407. Nissan has yet to confirm whether this will happen. The Primera is still made at the Sunderland plant in England, although UK sales ceased in late 2006 and an NMUK spokesman warned that its direct successor might not be sold in the UK due to the old model's fall in popularity during the final year or two of its life.
