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Nissan Altima
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- the 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine is down to 175hp from 280hp (Spec-V & Altima "very tunned" Version)
Now the CATCHY PART:
- the 3.5-liter V6 engine is down to 255hp from 260hp (Maxima & I35 "tunned" version)
- the 3.5-liter V6 engine is STILL AT 240hp (Altima's V6 "underpowered" version)!!!
So we can see that the loss of horepower is not evident in it's "raw" version (ie. Altima V6)
Figure it out, The 2001 Maxima 3.0-liter V6 engine did 227hp. (If that is the real figure )
how hard could it be to pump out 240hp from a 3.5-liter V6? We are talking a jump of 13 horepower!!!
IMO, IT'S NOT A BIG JUMP.
BUT, I WILL buy one.
BTW... this is over a week old. It seems that the DETROIT FREE PRESS just WOKE UP!
Everything I've heard about the Q says that the slower times are due to tall gearing, (Some mag said it was 20% taller than the LS430 I think) not to any engine deficency. But I'm sure some magazine is already strapping one to a dyno somewhere hoping to scoop a story on it...
i guess a major goof-up like that keeps manufacturers honest.
how did Toyota manage to bring the 2002 Camrys out a month earlier than anticipated? And that's with minimal spy photos. I guess they have a lot of pull in the auto industry.
I also think that they may be a little wary of the new Altima too, so they wanted to get a head start.
I believe sketches of the approx. Camry were leaked out months ago. I remember seeing sketches of the 2002 Camry since about 6 months ago. Same headlights & tailights.
Also, Toyota has typically not brought out a marketing blitz for Camry's at introduction.
WHen the 1997 Camry was first introduced, it was basically the same as it is now for the 2002 Camry: Car comes out early, ads come a bit later.
I think the Altima will hurt Camry sales slightly, but I think the Altima will hurt Accord sales more. The Camry, since 1997, has been positioned as more of a luxury car. Therefore the Camry has a generally older customer base. The Altima really isn't going to be for most of them because the Altima is going to be positioned more on Sportiness and less on luxury. The *sportiness* aspect is apparent in basically every facet of the Altima, from it's exterior styling to it's interior styling to it's marketing campaign.
There's not a doubt in my mind that the V6 will be smooth as silk and quiet...but the I4 will be ...an I4. Keep those revs low or it's gonna squeal!
Just to tell ya, I test drove the new Camry yesterday, and I think the Altima may not have as much competition. I'm very much a Toyota and Honda fan, but the QUALITY of these camrys were BAD! Read my full post under the Toyota Camry board for details. Overall fit and finish were about GM or Ford-like. Brakes were ok, steering was funky, but the engine was nice (158hp?). If you're looking for a rocket, the Altima is it.
As far as price goes, those who live near Carmax (or carmax.com) should try their pricing when it first comes out. They are selling the 2002 Max for $1500 under MSRP right now!
Let the games begin!
I hear you. But I saw the new one last night and it looked very good to my eyes. Chances are good that the new car will be like the last car where noise suppression and ride comfort will take precedence over all else and lack the sportiness of the new Altima.
I would you saw bad quality from the Camry because it is one of the first built.
I'm sure if you go back in a month and look, quality will be much better.
The VQ is the best engine that Nissan makes. That's the one that keeps winning all the awards @ Ward's World. Nissan knows how good this engine is and that is why it is going in just about every V6 car. Pathfinder, Maxima, Altima, the upcoming 350Z, Infiniti I30/I35, and supposedly in the G35 too.
Do yourself a favor and drive a Nissan car with a VQ, the engine is a gem.
I own a new 250 hp (Manual tran.) Pathfinder.
It has plenty of punch above 3K rpms. Powerband is nice and wide, but really picks up at about 2800 rpm's. Heck I dont even bother to downshift to pass. (We dont need no stinking fourth gear).
Was worth learning how to drive a stick .
Should make a requirement for new 3.5 Altimas
Ho-Ho
Exzave
The VQ engine is a gem...I agree. The engine is esp good in the 3000 - 4500 range. Plenty of umph from 60 to 100 mph. Really quiet too. I can't wait to see 0-60 times for the 6-speed maxima.
If anyone can post a link to the Camry, I'd appreciate it.
Now, back to the Altima. ;-)
I think I'm going to end up getting an Altima, maybe a Maxima. I wouldn't even have considered the Camry except Toyota promoted how much sportier the new one would be. IMHO, the result was pretty lame (for a semi-enthusiast). I'm sure their current buyers will think it's just fine, but it's not what they said it would be. I really think the Altima is going to gain some market share.
I'm not too impressed with the Camry. The exterior, front looks OK, but the rear reminds me of the current Taurus.
The dash looks worse than the Altima. It's too plain, too impersonal.
I agree that the altima will take a small portion of the pie if this is the best Toyota can do. However I'll reserve final judgement until I see one in person.
Also...anyone have a link to any 'spy' shots of the new Accord? 2003 I think?
These angry workers might not be putting full effort into quality control.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/15/business/15AUTO.html
It's gonna cost you more to have less.
IMO, it's BAD!
http://www.nissannews.com/nissan/news/products/images2001082100306/MVC-001F.JPG
I will probably go and test drive one the day a local dealer gets an SE automatic in stock even though I will probably wait for a while for the supply to be built up before actually trying to buy one if I like it.
I am very curious to see if the ride with the sport suspension and 17" low profile performance tires is comfortable and quiet enough to be liveable.
I heard that if you want a smooth ride, you need the 2.5 SL because the SE has a harder ride, but if you want a smooth engine, you need the 3.5 SE because the 2.5 engine is noisy. Too bad there is no 3.5 SL with the V6 and the smoother tires and suspension.
I'm sure I like the exterior, but I want to see the interior in person or at least see some high-quality photos of production model interiors that are taken without flash before I judge that.
I was wondering if Nissan is still going to continue the
"no passenger keyhole" routine with the Altima, as well ?
Altima looks like a typical econobox? Then I guess I should say that the new Q45 looks like an econobox as well, since the Altima mimicks the Q from the front and in the roofline.
Its even worse for some european cars. MBs use some fancy IR key. I'm sure a lot of those systems will fail with time. In this case you won't even be able to start the damn car. But it oh SO COOL. Thats what sells.
I welcome keyless entry and technology in general. Some MB's are virtually impossible to steal because of the special keys that they employ. I'd much rather have that after investing $40K+ on a MB.
I still stand by my comments about the smart keys used by MB. I am a physicist who has worked as a semiconductor device engineer most of my career. Take my word for it. A certain percentage of those won't work (may be the key itself or maybe the system) after a certain number of years. And there will be a lot of very frustrated and angry owners.
Luckily, I have a printout of the original page. When I realize the page had been changed, I quickly scanned for other changes on the standard features and specs tables. There were a few minor wording changes, some moving around of some stuff under different sub-headers, but there were also some changes of minor substance;
1. Power windows/locks have been added to the 2.5 base model (thus cascading through the whole line, as each builds from the 2.5 -- it was a curious omission from the original version, since they listed such basics as the fuel door release and the rear defroster all along).
2. Coin Holder added to 2.5 base.
3. Originally, they had both "power" and "manual" dual outside mirrors listed on the 2.5 base. Now the power phrase has been deleted; it was probably a typo to begin with.
4. "Manual transmission clutch interlock" deleted from 2.5 base. What is a "Manual transmission clutch interlock"?!! I hope the clutch still disengages the transmission from the engine ...
5. 60/40 split rear seat was listed w/o lock on 2.5 base, and with lock on 2.5 S. Now, lock is included on 2.5 base.
6. "Steering wheel controls" has been added to description of trip computer for 2.5 SL (but not to 3.5 SE)
7. Added "Cruise Control w/steering wheel controls" to 3.5 SE, 3.5 SL. (between audio, cruise, and trip computer controls on the steering wheels I hope there is room left for hands!) Cruise was another curious omission from my early printout.
8. Added 5-spd manual to 3.5 SE. Seems redundant, but maybe it indicates a different version with different ratios? Either way, it's probably just normal web-site wierdness.
9. In the top specs box, in addition to the HP change on the I4 and the new EPA ratings, some weight gains have appeared; 1 pound for each base model (must be that rear seat lock!), 11 pounds for each S, 2 - 4 pounds for each SL, and 29-30 pounds for each SE (I guess I'll have to lose about 30 pounds to maintain that optimal HP/weight ratio they had posted originally).
10. For the absolute trivia buff, my original list showed a separate, 57.8 inch height for the 17 inch wheels, and a 57.9 inch height for the 16 inchers. The height now simply states 57.9 (they must have topped off the air in the 17s).
I, like others on this list, am awaiting a 3.5 SE manual. I was looking to see if prices had been posted yet when I noticed the missing option lists. I hope they are being re-worked; I didn't care for the option dependencies they had built in.
I especially am surprised that you need a sunroof and a spoiler for the Xenon headlights. At 6' 8", sunroofs are my nemesis, as I need every millimeter of headroom I can get. The spoiler, although not bad looking in pictures, is not something I want stuck onto the back of my car. The headlights are something I want for the improved vision I am told they offer. However, I can, and will, live without them (assuming a 3.5 SE is ever actually built without these options -- I can imagine the dealer checking virtually all of the options on their SE allocations).
The other item that dismays me more is that Traction Control is not available with the 5-speed. This is probably more of a technical issue than a packaging one, but TC has saved me many times on ice and snow covered hills. Once again, I can and will live without it.
Here my rambling ends, and the waiting game continues ...
http://www.nissannews.com/nissan/product/vehicles/altima/glance.html
It may be only by one pound BUT it does show that the Altima no longer has the advantage in the weights dept.
taken from nissannews.com
I'm looking to get my wife into this car hopefully in a couple of months. She has a '96 Honda Accord and loves the low dashboard. Looks as if this dashboard will be along the same lines of being "knee height". Hopefully this will be a well-built, fairly-priced, "sleeper" of a car where the dealers won't have to mark-up the MSRP due to demand. . .although, buy the looks and numbers of these posts, we'll be waiting to buy one next spring or so. . .Never had a Nissan before and I currently have a '00 Volkswagen GTI VR6. I don't think any car built today would have the problems that were so common 10-15 years ago. . . all of them now are mostly computer problems. Look forward to more info on this ride. .
Noveau Ruby
Satin White
Opal Blue
Seascape(NY Autoshow model)
Velvet Beige(Other model @ NY Autoshow)
Sheer Silver
Mystic Emerald
Polished Pewter
Super Black
?
The other color I do not know
Interior
Charcoal
Blond
Frost
"Velvet Beige?" It looks more like gold.
Dash materials are cheap, cheap, cheap hard plastics. After my VW, the Altima's dash and center stack feel like a toy - nothing the least bit luxurious about the Altima's dash. If the Passat was the target, Nissan hit Hyundai. A flimsy door beneath the AC controls gives the impression it will break soon after purchase.
Couldn't drive it...wouldn't have anyway as it was a 3.5 SE Auto. Look forward to trying on the 5 speed.