2008 Nissan Altima Coupe

Nissan has had a lot of success selling sport coupes over the last few years. The return of the vaunted Z car in the form of the 350Z gave Nissan a popular and important link to their sporting heritage. They continued to forge this link with G35 Coupe, adding a backseat, more luxury and smoother styling to the 350Z platform in order to fill the GT car niche in their luxury division. With the popularity of both vehicles, it is no surprise that Nissan took a look at the lower range of its lineup to see where they could capitalize on the same success by inserting a third coupe.

The 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe harkens back to the early 90’s when Nissan frequently offered Sentra’s, 200SX’s and 240SX’s in coupe form. These dependable vehicles can still be found on the road today, and have even gathered a following in the aftermarket sport compact scene. The new Altima coupe is based on the same platform that powers the mid-size Altima sedan, a front-wheel drive model with a variety of engine choices. The entry-level Altima Coupe can be had with a 170 horsepower 2.5 liter 4 cylinder engine and a six speed manual transmission, or for a little bit more cash you can order a continuously variable tranny. If you are looking for more ‘oomph’ in your ride, you can upgrade to the Altima Coupe SE, which is powered by Nissan’s ubiquitous 3.5 liter VQ V-6 engine. The VQ makes 270 horsepower and can be had with either transmission option.

The Altima Coupe is much more than just the standard Altima sedan with a couple of doors lopped off. In fact, the styling can be said to have more in common with the G35 than the regular Altima, with strong horizontal lines along the side linking a muscular flank to the somewhat triangular front fascia. The roofline curves down in the rear to meet a bulging trunk, and a long hood builds on the image of power and excitement awaiting anyone who slips behind the wheel. The coupe is slightly smaller and lighter than the sedan, and a shorter wheelbase and lower ride height increase the sport stance. Nissan is clearly targeting the youth market with this vehicle, people less concerned with how to mount a baby seat in the back and more interested in how they will look cruising up and down the boulevard. Four cylinder Altima Coupes come with 16 inch wheels while those opting for the VQ engine are blessed with much more stylish 17 inch alloy rims.

The Altima Coupe continues to differentiate itself from the sedan when it comes to the interior styling. Sport bucket seats keep the driver and passenger in place during tight cornering, and a pull-up parking brake is present presumably to invoke Nissan’s long-standing history as a maker of premium drift-racing machines. The dash and the instrument panel, however, are shared with the Altima sedan.

While Nissan would like us to make the connection between the 350Z, G35 and the Altima Coupe, the reality is that this front-wheel drive machine gives a completely different driving experience than its larger, rear-wheel drive brothers. While it does have 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS, a speed sensitive rack and pinion steering system and a rear multi-link independent suspension, the front-wheel drive is always there to remind you that there will be no heroic brake stands or power slides around twisty mountain roads. Equal-length half-shafts do a good job of reducing torque steer, but it is impossible to pretend you are driving anything other than a sporty, front-wheel drive car – albeit a good one. The Altima Coupe is designed for competition with the 2 door Honda Accord and the Toyota Solara, and so long as you keep that in mind while taking one on a test drive, you are unlikely to be disappointed.






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May 13, 2008, 1:29 pm