NEW YORK, March 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nissan today revealed the all-new Altima, bringing excitement back to the mid-size sedan segment with expressive styling, an uplifting interior, two new powerplants, the first available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive in a Nissan sedan in the U.S. and advanced Nissan Intelligent Mobility features, including ProPILOT Assist. The 2019 Altima goes on sale in the U.S. in the fall, followed by other global markets at later dates.
The sixth generation of Nissan’s best-selling sedan made its world debut at the 2018 New York International Auto Show, alongside the first North American showing of Nissan’s Formula E racing car.
“This new Altima builds on 25 years and more than 5.6 million Altima sales to date – but to us, this is just a starting point,” said Denis Le Vot, senior vice president, chairman of management committee, Nissan North America, Inc. “That’s why we decided to shake up the midsize segment in terms of design, driving enjoyment and technologies that are advanced and affordable.”
The new Altima follows the 2018 LEAF in embodying the vision of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, making vehicles more desirable by re-defining how they are driven, powered and integrated into society. A key component is ProPILOT Assist, a single-lane “hands-on” driving assistance technology that eases driver workload by reducing the amount of driver acceleration, steering and braking input under certain driving conditions, such as single-lane highway driving. ProPILOT Assist is standard on the 2019 Altima SV, SL and Platinum grades.
Also new for 2019 is Rear Automatic Braking, which helps the driver detect stationary objects when backing up, and if necessary applies the brakes to help avoid a collision. The addition of Rear Automatic Braking to Nissan Safety Shield creates Safety Shield 360, which provides front, side and rear safety monitoring and intervention technologies – including Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Lane Departure Warning (LDW), radar-based Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and High Beam Assist (HBA).
Two new engines are introduced on the all-new Altima. Replacing the previous-generation Altima’s 3.5-liter V6 engine is the company’s world’s first production-ready variable compression turbo inline 4-cylinder. The engine delivers near V6-level performance with 4-cylinder fuel economy. Standard on all 2019 Altima grade levels is a new 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder direct-injection engine. More than just the gains in horsepower and torque, the new engine offers improvements in noise, vibration and harshness, along with enhanced fuel economy and cleaner emissions.
The 2019 Altima also offers available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive for the first time ever on an Altima. The AWD system is available on all trim levels equipped with the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine.
“We saw that the lack of available all-wheel drive has been a key factor in pushing U.S. buyers who prefer sedans to compact SUVs,” said Le Vot. “Of the top three selling midsize sedans in the U.S., only Altima will offer all-wheel drive. We expect this to be a key sales driver, especially for customers in the northern part of the country.”
The all-new Altima’s expressive design was inspired by the award-winning Nissan Vmotion 2.0 concept. The new Altima is lower, longer and wider than the previous generation with a highly balanced, aggressive stance that includes available 19-inch wheels and tires. Inside, the all-new premium interior features a wide “gliding wing” instrument panel – which accentuates the exterior’s low cowl and hood, helping create an open, airy environment.
Key interior comfort and convenience features range from seats with added bolstering for improved holding and support, to standard NissanConnectSM featuring Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ and an 8-inch multi-touch color display.
The 2019 Altima will be offered in a range of trim levels – S, SR, SV, SL and Platinum. All five come equipped with the standard 2.5-liter engine and are available with Intelligent All-Wheel Drive. In addition, the Altima SR and Platinum grades are available with the advanced 2.0-liter VC-Turbo engine (front-wheel drive only). An exclusive launch edition based on the Platinum VC-Turbo will be offered in limited quantities and open for reservations in early summer 2018 (U.S. market only).
Also on display at the New York International Auto Show is Nissan’s dramatic new Formula E racer. Nissan will become the first Japanese automotive brand to compete in the all-electric FIA Formula E racing championship starting in late 2018. The innovative championship will be used to showcase Nissan Intelligent Mobility. The new generation Formula E car features striking new aerodynamics and an entirely new battery and powertrain package. Season five of the Formula E series is expected to begin in December 2018 and visit major cities around the world including New York, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Zurich and Hong Kong.
The 2018 New York International Auto Show runs March 30 through April 8 at Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York City.
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissanusa.com and www.infinitiusa.com, or visit the U.S. media sites nissannews.com and infinitinews.com.
About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 247,500 employees globally, Nissan sold 5.32 million vehicles and generated revenue of 11.38 trillion yen (USD 103.6 billion) in fiscal year 2014. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. Nissan leads the world in zero-emission mobility, dominated by sales of the LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle. It is the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment. For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.
Contact
Josh Clifton
Senior Manager, Product Communications, Car & SUV and Technology
615-725-1767
josh.clifton@nissan-usa.com
Kyle Torrens
Specialist, Production Communications, Car, SUV and Technology
615-725-4019
kyle.torrens@nissan-usa.com
Dan Passe
General Manager
Global Product Communications
+81 (0)50 3804 5833
dan-passe@mail.nissan.co.jp
For more information about Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.'s products, services and our commitment to sustainable mobility, visit Nissan-Global.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and view our latest videos on YouTube.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/03358d57-be3e-4216-887a-38708bc2295d