NISSAN 1998 ALTIMA With the introduction of the original Altima in 1993, Nissan entered the hotly contested mid-size sedan category with startling success. The first generation Altima was designed to surround owners with luxury features, distinctive styling and class-leading performance at an affordable price. Nissan designers, engineers and product planners used the phrase "affordable luxury" throughout the development of the original vehicle. Even as the new Altima was being introduced to consumers with great success in the areas of sales, customer satisfaction and J.D. Power and Associates quality surveys including being named the Best Midsize Car for the second year in a row in the 1997 Initial Quality Study, the project team members looking ahead to the second-generation Altima had to consider "what comes next?" This question was more difficult to answer because owners shared one common suggestion - "don't mess up my Altima." Altima was doing exactly what its buyers wanted it to do, at a price they could appreciate. Styling - Buy The Altima Here Designers began the process of developing a new Altima as an evolutionary development of the original concept, not a revolutionary departure. The original car, though controversial when introduced, had influenced the styling of many of its competitors. The exterior design team, led by Nissan Design International (NDI) president Jerry Hirshberg began to study new ways to express the shape of a mid-size sedan expected to "do it all" for its owners. Under the leadership of Hirshberg and Director of Design Tom Semple, the task of penning the exterior was handed to Doug Wilson. Wilson, who had proven his understanding of monoform design as chief designer of the Infiniti J30, set out to create a shape that would be efficient and stylish, distinctive and elegant, without pretense or resorting to styling gimmicks. The Altima design team began with a solid platform, literally. The new car was to be built on a refined version of the original platform. This allowed designers to sculpt the shape of the new car based on the original. Specific styling cues were identified to be maintained, such as the thick bases of the A- and C-pillars, shapes that visually impart the solidity of the vehicle, as though it were carved from one piece. The large greenhouse was also preserved to create the sensation of a larger car for occupants. In the end, an "evolutionary-plus" design won out, maintaining the same wheelbase as the first generation car but growing in length, width and height. Altima, once again, leads the mid-size sedan category into a new era of packaging, an era that is more efficient, distinctive and fresh. The 1998 Altima enjoys the benefits of a more aerodynamic shape with 0.32 coefficient of drag (compared to a 0.34 Cd on the original) and increased interior passenger and cargo volume. Interior - Buy The Altima Here To update the interior, Nissan again turned to its customers. Merely including additional cupholders and coin trays would not suffice - an interior that meets the needs of today's commuters had to be ergonomically correct, efficient and pleasing to the eye, and include features that would leave drivers surrounded in luxury they can use. Storage trays in the door pockets and glove box were expanded to hold 81/2 X 11 inch tablets. New instrument panel and console compartments were added to stow frequently needed items such as business cards, coins, CDs, cassettes and tissues. The instrument panel, the focal point of the interior, uses a series of organically connected arcs. This design visually connects the exterior styling to the interior, and through use of rich colors and elegant textures helps establish Altima as the affordable luxury mid-size sedan. Switches and controls were moved to complement the driver and passenger's natural sequence of motion - such as the headlamp switch, located within the path of the driver's hand when entering the Altima. The accessory power port is positioned to easily accommodate power cords for cellular phones and other electronic devices commonly used by today's commuters. Driveline - Buy The Altima Here The efficient packaging of front-engine, front-wheel drive is continued for the 1998 Altima, using a refined version of Nissan's 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder powerplant. Developing 150 horsepower at 5,600 rpm, Altima offers one of the most powerful 4-cylinder engines in its class. The revised engine, assembled at Nissan's new Decherd, Tenn. engine and transaxle production center, takes advantage of lighter pistons, new low-friction piston rings, reduced camshaft and crankshaft friction and other advancements to produce more power at lower rpm, enhancing the vehicles overall driveability. Moving assembly of the 2.4-liter engine to Decherd from Mexico does more than increase Altima's domestic parts content. The efficiency gains in manufacturing and shipping reduce the vehicles overall production costs, savings that will be passed on to consumers. Next year, Altima transaxles will be produced at Decherd, adding to the savings and assembly efficiency. Transmission - Buy The Altima Here A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on all Altima XE, GXE and sporty SE models. Standard on Altima GLE, and available on XE, GXE and SE is a version of the same 4-speed automatic transmission found on the Nissan Maxima. Sharing major components such as the transmission further helps to control vehicle costs. Suspension, Steering And Braking - Buy The Altima Here The improved handling of the 1998 Altima is attributed mainly to the 20 percent increase in the vehicle's platform rigidity. Increased platform strength enabled engineers to increase Altima's track by 1.6 inches front and rear - improving Altima's ride while maintaining the car's characteristic good handling and fun-to-drive feel. Specifically, the enhanced platform strength and increased track lead to more linear handling response, reduced noise vibration and harshness, and improved overall ride comfort. As with the evolutionary development of the driveline and platform, elements from the original suspension were retained for the new Altima. The responsive 4-wheel independent suspension with rear Super Toe Control benefits from the wider track, reduced internal friction for shock absorbers and bushings. An alloy substructure in the steering wheel helps reduce steering wheel vibration to the driver without sacrificing steering feedback. The optional anti-lock braking system (ABS) now offers improved pedal feel. The system is also lighter and smaller than the previous system, as well as less expensive. Like other areas of Altima, these savings are passed on to the consumer. Platform And Body - Buy The Altima Here The 20 percent increase in platform rigidity lays the foundation for many of the 1998 Altima’s improvements allowing the wider track, reduced noise, vibration and harshness, increased passenger and cargo volume and resulting spacious interior. To ensure assembly to Nissan's exacting standards, Altima is assembled using the Intelligent Body Assembly System (IBAS), the same method used to assemble the flagship Inftniti Q45 luxury performance sedan. Through logical component layout and automation of critical assembly tasks, IBAS results in ultra-efficient and consistent vehicle construction. Bake-hard steel is used to provide greater dent resistance than conventional steel, even with use of lighter gauge panels, helping keep Altima's overall body weight to a minimum gain, despite its increase in size. A new one piece A-pillar design is another example of less being more in the 1998 Altima. The new design reduces the number of inventory/assembly parts at NMMC, simplifies construction, and enhances the strength of this support structure. Safety And Security - Buy The Altima Here The road to safety begins with avoidance, the ability to stay away from an accident before it happens. To achieve this, the 1998 Altima combines nimble handling, responsive acceleration and short braking distances to help avoid trouble on the road. To further enhance occupant safety, Nissan designed in a number of standard safety and security features. For example, Generation II dual front air bags designed to inflate with less force are standard on Altima, as well as child safety rear door locks and side-door guard beams. Altima is also designed with front and rear crumple zones that absorb the impact of a collision, helping to protect vehicle occupants from harm. The hood is designed with hinge-mounted hooks designed to help prevent the hood from entering the passenger compartment in the event of a collision. Models - Buy The Altima Here Four models of Altima are available for 1998: XE, GXE, GLE and SE. It all starts with Altima XE, with standard 5-speed manual transmission, dual front air bags, power windows, power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, 4-way adjustable front bucket seats and instrument panel with a full complement of gauges. Altima GXE, the volume model, builds on the offerings of the XE with the addition of standard comfort and convenience touches such as CFC-free air conditioning, a 4-speaker AM/FM audio system with compact disc player, cruise control, illuminated entry and exit system, 60/40 split-fold down rear seat and wood grain trim. For affordable luxury with sporty attitude, Altima SE adds a sport-tuned suspension, alloy wheels and a body-color rear spoiler. Also standard are a 100-watt 6-speaker audio system with compact disc and cassette tape players and leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shift knob (manual transmission only). For buyers who want it all, the top-of-the-line Altima GLE trades in the SE's sporty suspension for a softer, more luxurious ride, leather seating surfaces with power operated 8-way adjustable driver's seat and standard 4-speed automatic transmission. Operations - Buy The Altima Here In North America, Nissan's operations include styling, engineering, manufacturing, sales, consumer and corporate finance and industrial and textile equipment. Nissan in North America employs more than 22,000 people in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and generates nearly 75,000 jobs through its more than 1,500 Nissan and Infiniti dealerships across the continent. Key savings in the design of the new Altima were achieved in all areas, including development costs and an increase in local sourcing - including the addition of an all-new engine/transmission manufacturing facility in Decherd, Tenn., which began operation in May 1997. All Altimas sold in North America will continue to be built at Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation (NMMC) in Smyrna, Tenn. Local sourcing of materials has risen to approximately 78 percent in the 1998 models, making Altima an American car by EPA domestic content measurement. That figure is expected to increase again in about a year when transmission/transaxle production at the new Decherd plant comes on line. Nissan designers, engineers and manufacturing specialists worked closely with U.S.-based suppliers throughout the entire design process, together developing parts and systems specific to Nissan's U.S. manufacturing facilities. Performance - Buy The Altima Here The new Altima, while growing in most major exterior and interior dimensions, shares the same basic platform as the original. The engine is a refined version of Nissan's advanced 16-valve DOHC 2.4-liter 150-horsepower four cylinder, reworked to produce a more responsive driver's feel and reduced emissions. Handling is another aspect where small changes to select components made a big improvement in overall performance. While retaining the original Altima's independent subframe-mounted strut-type front and rear suspensions with rear Super Toe Control, handling has been enhanced through use of a wider track and a 20 percent increase in body rigidity. Ride comfort has been enhanced through the use of revised suspension tuning, an improved front seat design and an aluminum/metal composite steering wheel which transmits less vibration to the driver without compromising steering feedback. Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels were addressed through a 37-step noise reduction program ranging from increased insulation to better control of wind noise around the outside rearview mirrors. The new Altima's body design incorporates a number of value-enhancing elements, including the use of "dent resistant" bake-hard steel panels and a one-piece A-pillar that simplifies assembly while reducing inventory. The new body design is also more slippery in the wind, with the coefficient of drag reduced from 0.34 to 0.32. Other savings range from a simplified wiring harness that weighs less and is easier to assemble and repair than the previous design, to a more advanced and lighter anti-lock braking system. And, just as prices of consumer electronics have been lowered in recent years, items like the Altima's compact disc player are now standard equipment in some models - with cost savings passed along.
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