Nissan offers a first look at the new Altima.
There’s been plenty of action in the midsize passenger car market of late. We saw an all-new Toyota Camry hit the road for 2012 while key players like Ford and Honda have weighed in this year with offerings of their own. So, can Nissan be far behind?
Clearly not, as this teaser image makes apparent. The second-largest of Japan’s automakers – which scored some big sales gains with its outgoing midsize model last month – is planning to lift the covers on its own new entry at April’s New York International Auto Show.
The 2013 Nissan Altima appears to borrow some cues from the maker’s Leaf electric vehicle, if this image is any indication. There’ll clearly be an emphasis on aerodynamics – and that includes the somewhat bug-eyed headlamps that Nissan developed for its battery-electric vehicle, which not only reduce drag but also shift wind away from the sideview mirrors, reducing cabin noise.
You can see more of the new 2013 Nissan Altima at Jacob Jacobs Center a month from now – or check out the Youtube video – which lasts all of eight seconds.
The next-generation Altima is a critical product for the maker. It has traditionally taken a back seat to the higher-profile Camry and Honda Accord models but Nissan has gained momentum in recent months, in part by recovering from product shortages faster than its two Japanese rivals.
Nonetheless, the Camry has scored some impressive sales numbers this year, in part by focusing on fleet sales.
Honda, meanwhile, showed off a concept version of its new Accord Coupe at the Detroit Auto Show, and is expected to reveal its midsize sedan model at the New York Auto Show, as well.
We’ll also be keeping an eye out for the next-generation Nissan Sentra – like the Altima coming up on a complete update. Nissan has followed an unusual strategy of offering two midsize entries, the Sentra tending to target older, more conservative and somewhat less affluent buyers than those opting for Altima.
One question the Japanese will have to ask this year is whether they can maintain their traditional lock on the midsize segment. General Motors has been gaining ground and is counting on doing even better as it rolls out an all-new version of the Chevrolet Malibu. Ford, meanwhile, scored big in Detroit with the next-generation Fusion, generally hailed as the best-in-show.
But Nissan isn’t necessarily looking to take over as king-of-the-hill with the new Altima. It simply needs to keep building momentum for the next model to improve its standing in the market.