New York Auto Show 2018: Sixth Generation Nissan Altima Showcased

Nissan showcased the sixth generation Altima sedan at the ongoing New York Auto Show. The Altima is one of the most popular Nissan sedans in North America. First introduced 25 years ago in 1993, Nissan has sold over 5.6 million units of the Altima since then globally. The new-generation Altima was designed by teams from four major Nissan Design Centres which are Japan, Europe, China and the US. The idea was to create a new-generation vehicle which will be launched globally. The Nissan Vmotion 2.0 concept was a primary source of inspiration for the new-generation Altima and it has been based on the Vmotion concept.

(2019 Nissan Altima)

"When we originally started designing the next generation of the Altima, it was still the company's best-selling nameplate in the critical U.S. market, so there wasn't much pressure to make radical changes," explained Alfonso Albaisa, senior vice president, Global Design, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. "Then our own Rogue took off, drawing in new customers unlike anything we'd experienced before. This gave us the opportunity to rethink the Altima outside the traditional sedan design box and create something more exciting and yet more sophisticated."

(2019 Nissan Altima)

The new-gen Altima will get two new engines, the first of which is the 2.5-litre 4-cylinder engine and the 2.0-litre Variable Compression Turbo, which the company's first ever! The 2.5-litre unit gets over 80 per cent new parts and offers slightly more horses more than the previous unit. Nissan says that the fuel economy will be increased as well.

The design of the new-generation Altima is sharp and sporty, with the front getting the company's signature V-Motion grille along with the boomerang shaped LED headlamps. At the rear, the LED tail lamps too get the boomerang treatment.

The interior too gets a major upgrade, with the most noticeable change being the new 8-inch centre display that gets smartphone integration in the form of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Nissan has also fitted the Altima with NASA inspired zero gravity seats, which are said to offer solid comfort on long drives thanks to added bolstering.