- The Altima-te AWD is based on the all-new 2019 Altima, and joins the “Warrior” Nissan family of one-off vehicles equipped with heavy-duty tracks
- From sophisticated sedan to off-road warrior; Altima-te AWD stands out from all angles with aggressive 180 millimetre/7 inch-wide front and rear fender flares
- Altima-te AWD set to make a strong statement at Canadian auto shows, starting with Montreal
MONTREAL, Jan. 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It’s a sedan unlike anything Nissan has presented before - a project vehicle representing a new era of All-Wheel Drive (AWD) capability and an additional AWD choice for the Canadian customer. Named the “Altima-te AWD,” this one-off project vehicle is based on the all-new 2019 Nissan Altima AWD, and continues Nissan’s custom of creating aggressive, one-off models fitted with a heavy-duty track system.
The production version 2019 Nissan Altima is also a sedan unlike Nissan has presented before, as the first sedan in North America to offer All-Wheel Drive. In Canada, AWD is fitted as standard on the 2019 Altima.
“This is not the Altima of old; for the 2019 model year, we are redefining what this historic nameplate stands for. With the scarcity in the market of all-wheel drive configurations available on sedans, we wanted to make a statement to customers. The average person does not assume a sedan offers AWD,” says Joni Paiva, president of Nissan Canada Inc.
“The Altima-te AWD joins the other, one-off, track-equipped crossover vehicles like the Rogue Warrior and sends a clear message to the market – this Altima has the ability to conquer the harshest weather environments with the added confidence provided by standard Nissan Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, which adapts to road conditions in the blink of an eye,” concludes Paiva.
Transforming the Ultimate Altima
Like the Rogue Warrior which debuted at the 2016 Montreal International Auto Show (MIAS), the Altima-te AWD was modified entirely by Quebec-based Motorsports in Action (MIA), using the DOMINATOR® track system from American Track Truck.
The tracks measure 1,220 millimetres/48 inches long, 750 millimetres/30 inches tall and 380 millimetres/15 inches wide. The Altima-te AWD required more extreme body and chassis modifications compared to the changes that were made on the Rogue Warrior project vehicle. The most prominent exterior modification to Altima’s exterior is seen in the front and rear fenders that were flared out by 180 millimetres/7 inches on each side, to accommodate the DOMINATOR, track system, expanding the total body width by 360 millimetres/14 inches. This results in a noticeably assertive stance, while maintaining Altima’s sedan design essence and flowing lines.
To modify the fenders, the MIA team applied a complex process involving the design and fabrication of a bespoke wide body kit, and building the fender part using high-density foam and epoxy resin typically used in nautical structures. This process alone amounted to over 150 hours of work. The total project took 250 hours to complete. The extreme fender flares allow a reduction in snow projections, which could impede the driver’s visibility.
In order to make the Altimate-AWD fully functional, the vehicle’s ride height required an increase. MIA designed and built the necessary components to raise the car by 80 millimetres/3 inches. To achieve this, the front and rear load-bearing chassis were dropped by 30 millimetres/1.18 inches and the suspension components were raised by 50 millimetres/1.96 inches. The suspension geometry was corrected to offset the deviation caused by the ride height change, and restore the proper kinematics.
The Altima-te AWD will be on display at the 2019 MIAS for public days, and move on to be displayed in the Nissan booth at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto in February.
More Altima-te AWD pictures available here.
About Nissan Canada Inc.
Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Nissan Motor Limited and Nissan North America, Inc. NCI was the first Japanese-based automaker to incorporate in Canada in 1965, and now directly employs 306 full-time staff across offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC). There are 208 independent Nissan dealerships, including 81 that also act as Nissan Commercial Vehicles dealers, 114 electric vehicle-certified dealers, and 42 INFINITI retailers across Canada.
More information about Nissan in Canada and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.nissan.ca and www.INFINITI.ca.
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., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2017, the company sold 5.77 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.9 trillion yen. On April 1, 2017, the company embarked on Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, a six-year plan targeting a 30% increase in annualized revenues to 16.5 trillion yen by the end of fiscal 2022, along with cumulative free cash flow of 2.5 trillion yen. As part of Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, the company plans to extend its leadership in electric vehicles, symbolized by the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi is today the world’s largest automotive partnership, with combined sales of more than 10.6 million vehicles in calendar year 2017.
For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit
nissan-global.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
Media contacts:
Didier Marsaud
Director, Corporate Communications
Nissan Canada
Telephone: 905-629-6400
Email: didier.marsaud@nissancanada.com
Jenn McCarthy
Manager, Product Communications
Nissan Canada
Telephone: 905-629-6350
Email: jennifer.mccarthy@nissancanada.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b57be63-66a3-4456-8ee9-2660162902d7