Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Co., the authorized distributor of Nissan in Qatar, unveiled the all-new 2019 Nissan Altima in its main showroom on Salwa Road earlier last week. The launch event was attended by VIPs, key customers and members of the media.
Key features of the all-new Altima were highlighted prior to the reveal which showcases state of the art technologies that appear for the first time in Nissan sedans. With the all-new Altima, Nissan is creating a new standard of design, driving enjoyment and technology within the mid-size sedan segment. The car features expressive styling, an uplifting interior, two new powertrains, and advanced Nissan Intelligent Mobility features.
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 race car.
Mr. Hisham Saleh Al Mana, Chairman & Managing Director, Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Co. said: “we are pleased today to launch the All-new Altima 2019 in Qatar shortly after its world debut. This clearly reflects our ambitious plans and strategies for 2019 to increase our market share and accomplish sustainable growth. We are confident that the all-new Altima will appeal to a huge number of car enthusiast, thanks to its durability, comfort, technology and affordable price. It is a good start for 2019 and looking forward to a prosperous year”.
Mr. Martin Aherne, General Manager – Automotive, Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Co. said: “The all-new Altima is designed to shake up the mid-size sedan segment in terms of design, driving enjoyment and technologies that are simultaneously advanced and affordable. It will meet the demands of car enthusiasts in Qatar who are looking for a reliable car with luxury features. With its new design and capabilities, the all-new 2019 Altima is expected to capture the minds, and we are excited to see it on the roads of Qatar”.
The all-new Altima builds on 25 years of heritage; it is an incredibly popular model in the Middle East, and the advancements made in the sixth generation of the car will heighten its appeal. Between the sleek exterior, luxurious interior, engine improvements, tighter suspension and increased seat support, the 2019 Altima is a class above.
The all-new Altima’s design was inspired by the award-winning Nissan V Motion 2.0 concept car, which debuted at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It is lower, longer and wider than the previous generation with a highly balanced, aggressive stance and the option of 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 include upgraded seats with added bolstering for improved holding and support. The car also features Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ and an 8-inch multi-touch colour display for complete in-car entertainment and ease of driver control.
Cutting-edge Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies have been integrated into the 2019 Altima as standard. These include Nissan’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert, which helps drivers to detect stationary objects when reversing. When an object is detected, the system warns the driver with visual and audible warnings. The all new Altima also provides front, side and rear safety monitoring and intervention technologies – including Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning (LDW), radar-based Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and High Beam Assist (HBA).
Two new engines have been introduced on the 2019 Altima. 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 smoothness and cabin quietness, along with enhanced fuel economy and cleaner emissions.
Replacing the previous-generation Altima’s 3.5-liter V6 engine is the world’s first production-ready variable compression turbo inline 4-cylinder. A significant technological breakthrough, the VC-Turbo seamlessly changes its compression ratio, delivering the performance of a much larger powerplant with fuel efficiency and improved emissions.
The 2019 Altima will be offered in a range of trim levels – S, SV and SL in the 2.5L and SV and SL grades in 2.0L Turbo. 2.0L VC-Turbo will be open for reservations in early summer 2019.
Premium Interior
Inside, the 2019 Altima interior offers a near-luxury feel in both design and materials – marked by the lightweight, layered and more horizontal “gliding wing” instrument panel. A range of premium interior colours and trim accents are available depending on grade level.
The uplifting interior design also offers a high level of comfort and convenience amenities and connectivity features are offered – including standard 7.0-inch Advanced Drive Assist Display, enhanced NASA-inspired Zero Gravity seat design with dual-density foam and added bolstering for improved holding and support, available perforated leather-appointed seat inserts, available remote engine start with Intelligent Climate Control and new available 8-way driver’s seat with memory.
2019 Altima also comes equipped with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™, with 8-inch multi-touch colour display, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System and Streaming audio via Bluetooth®.
The new Altima’s selection of audio and infotainment choices include a Bose® Premium Audio system with nine speakers, including a new digital amplifier with eight channels of custom equalization.
Enhanced dynamic performance and chassis control
Along with the all-weather traction offered by the new all-wheel drive system, all 2019 Altimas benefit from a range of enhanced suspension, steering and chassis control systems. Key suspension changes include the first Altima application of monotube rear shocks, added suspension reinforcements to improve vehicle response without impacting harshness, and suspension geometry adjustments to improve steering feedback. The goal in the chassis development is to provide a more comfortable, controlled and confident driving experience – not just for the higher grades but for every 2019 Altima.
The steering system has been upgraded to a new dual-pinion electric power steering design (DP-EPS), which enhances steering feel performance and reduces steering system noise. Steering effort is reduced at low speeds for ease of driving, and effort is increased at higher speeds for improved feedback and control.
The 2019 Altima includes a new, advanced Integrated Dynamics Module (IDM). It includes three unique systems – Intelligent Ride Control, Intelligent Trace Control and Vehicle Dynamics Control – similar to those found on the flagship Nissan Maxima sedan.
Three wheel and tire size combinations are available – 16-inch, 17-inch and, for the first time, 19-inch.
Standard on all grade levels is the new 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder direct injection engine, which is rated at 188 horsepower (versus the previous 2.5-liter’s 179 hp) and 180 lb-ft of torque (versus the previous 177 lb-ft) and features 80% new or redesigned parts.
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. It also has a lower profile through adoption of a “reverse” cylinder head with integrated exhaust manifold and low engine mounting into the new platform’s engine bay for quieter operation.
Key changes to the engine’s design include a thermal-insulated resin intake port, Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG™) system, variable tumble control valve, mirror bore cylinder coating, variable displacement oil pump, intake e-VTC and cooled external EGR.
Nissan’s development of the new 2.5-liter engine started with reviewing the basic specifications on an individual basis, such as the combustion chamber design. The result is an enhanced combination of high output and low fuel consumption versus the previous engine – with the bonus of improved NVH and front-end styling flexibility.