Nissan Puts The Accord
Coupe In Its Crosshairs By: Brandon Dye
Nissan recently launched its revised 2007 Altima
sedan complete with the requisite Hybrid model to
generally positive reviews. While we haven’t driven
the latest iteration of the family hauler we expect
it to continue being the slightly sportier, less
frumpy alternative to the Camry and Accord that it
has always been. But Nissan is no longer content
with simply fighting for the family sedan buyer; it
wants to offer something for what it calls
“typically younger, more performance-oriented coupe
buyers.” And after driving it, the Camry Solara and
Accord Coupe better hit the gym and get down to
fighting weight because the all-new 2008 Altima
Coupe offers credible performance in a body almost
as sexy as the big brother Infiniti G37.
We think it’s that Infiniti-esque look on the cheap
that’ll get most buyers to inquire about a test
drive. Compared to the over styled competition
Nissan designers have blessed the Altima with clean
flanks, a sporty greenhouse, graceful rear fenders
and a traditional dual exhaust. Compared to the
sedan the new coupe is a significant 2.5” shorter in
height, leading to the attractive long and low coupe
styling that should win Nissan a lot of customers.
The 17” alloy wheels on our top-line 3.5 SE model
look superb, although this day and age 18” wheels
should at least be an option. Our Super Black test
car succeeded at looking more expensive than it
really is, which to style conscious coupe buyers is
half the battle.
The Altima’s weak spot had been its interior materials
but that seems to be less and less the case these
days and this new coupe cockpit looks pretty good to
our eyes. An all-black interior is a challenge to
spice up but the use of metal accents does a good
job keeping things looking sporty and upscale. The
big 4-spoke steering wheel draws some criticism for
clashing with the sporting theme of the car. A nice
3-spoke wheel would be more in tune with the car’s
mission. The stereo and climate controls are easy to
operate and the black leather bucket seats are
commendably well-bolstered. We like the deep
cupholders and center console storage space and the
easy-access hand brake, although it could be
finished a little nicer. Back seat room isn’t bad
but most coupe shoppers don’t have regular
passengers anyway. More useful to coupe drivers are
the folding back seats that will expand the small
7.4 cubic foot trunk.
Nissan’s excellent 3.5-liter all aluminum V6 has been
updated for the Altima and now offers 270 hp at
6,000 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm.
Those healthy outputs mean the 3,205-pound coupe can
post strong acceleration numbers. Running the
standard 6-speed manual through the gears makes
staying in the power range easy enough, but the soft
clutch and slightly vague gates don’t return as much
driving excitement as we hoped for, although smooth
shifting is effortless. We were able to click off 60
mph in 6 seconds flat and drop the quarter mile in
14.6 seconds at 98.6 mph. Those are respectable
class results in anyone’s book. The EPA says the car
will return 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the
highway, unfortunately Nissan recommends premium
fuel for the V6.
Both 2.5 and 3.5 models share the same braking hardware
with 11.7” discs up front and 11.5” solid discs in
the back. Matched with standard electronic brake
force distribution the middle pedal is not sports
car firm, but completely responsive and more than
adequate for target buyers. In our testing the
Altima erased 60 mph in 126 feet. Both models share
the same steering tuning too, which is par for the
class. You shouldn’t expect Infiniti G37 driving
dynamics on the cheap. After all, this is a
front-wheel drive car with 63% of its weight on the
front axle.
We drove our example over a variety of roads and
enjoyed its controlled ride, strong stereo, good
looks and shift for yourself simplicity. Our early
production example didn’t have a window sticker, but
we figure equipped with the Premium Package as ours
was, the as-tested price would be flirting with the
$30,000 mark. Nissan’s 2008 Altima Coupe leaves the
staid Camry Solara in the dust without breaking a
sweat and would be a great match for the still
strong Accord coupe. Sounds like a comparison test
is in order. In the meantime we have good news for
shoppers who aren’t quite in Nissan’s luxury brand
price range yet. That new good-looking coupe on the
showroom floor isn’t an Infiniti.
