After the Pittsburgh Auto Show was postponed earlier this year, auto enthusiasts have been waiting for the event to finally take place. And at last, after an extended waiting period for the motor show, it opened its doors just last April 26 and will run through the 30th of the month.
Naturally, the mentioned motor show is once again filled with mechanical wonders including a coupe from Japan's third largest car manufacturer. Nissan, the ailing Japanese brand, strut their stuff at the Pittsburgh Auto Show with the centerpiece featuring the Nissan Altima Coupe. The coupe version of Nissan's bet selling model is initially touted as a strong competitor in its class given its high aesthetic value.
Experts in the auto field agree that the introduction of the coupe version of the Nissan Altima came at a good time. For the pasty months, the demand for two-door vehicles has been constantly increasing. This is evidence that car buyers are looking for smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles in the face of increasing prices of gasoline as the summer driving season approaches. The number of coupe models in the market is also growing as the demand increases.
Honda, another Japanese car manufacturer has already announced that they have a redesigned coupe which, as they claim, is ready to take on the coupe market in the United States. The entry of Nissan to the said class will bolster the brand's popularity in the United States auto market. For the past few months, Nissan has been performing well in the market after the woeful year that they have in 2006. The Nissan Altima Coupe is seen as one of the vehicles that will enable Nissan to get back to its winning ways.
The Nissan Altima Coupe, while taken from the Altima Sedan, is made shorter and lower. This comparatively smaller size of the coupe makes it classier than the sedan, making it one of the most youth-oriented vehicles in Nissan's lineup. The coupe is more driver-oriented than the sedan, thanks to features unique to the coupe. Driver comfort and convenience is ensured by supportive front seats and practical gauges and controls. The Nissan Altima parts used in the construction of the coupe complemented the engine that the vehicle is equipped with.
The powerplant hidden under the hood of the Nissan Altima Coupe can be a 3.5-liter V6 or a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine unit. The V6 is rated to produce as much as 270 horsepower while the smaller four-cylinder engine is capable of producing 175 horsepower.
Aside from the Altima coupe, Nissan also brought the new Altima Sedan at the Pittsburgh Auto Show. It is a known fact that the Altima is the best selling model from Nissan and the company sees it fit that they improve the Altima sedan as it makes its bid for supremacy in its class. To give the Nissan Altima sedan an edge in its field, Nissan redesigned the Altima's exterior styling. While the sedan is not as good looking as its coupe version, it has that aggressive look which is very much capable of giving it a high aesthetic value.
One of the most notable new features that the Altima sedan will be equipped with is the Xtronic CVT or the continuously variable transmission. The said technology is Nissan's answer to the hybrid revolution. While fellow Japanese car manufacturers like Honda and Toyota are producing more and more hybrid vehicles, Nissan opts to use the CVT to reduce fuel consumption and therefore reducing greenhouse gas emission. In fact, the company's environment-oriented plan is focused on producing vehicles that are equipped with the CVT as their contribution in the fight against global warming and fossil fuel depletion.
