A tale of two Nissans

Acorn Automotive Editor


Nissan's 2003 Altima-no longer entry level

Nissan’s 2003 Altima-no longer entry level

A few years ago you couldn’t give a Nissan away. The Japanese car manufacturer was in bad shape and wasn’t far from either bankruptcy or closing its North American operation. It wasn’t that they made bad cars, they just were having a rotten time selling them.


Then along came Renault, the French publicly-owned car manufacturer that was looking for a way to expand worldwide. Their reputation in the U.S. wasn’t that good either, but they knew how to market and promote their products.


The alliance of the companies, an injection of capital and a restructuring of the North American operations saw Nissan, with a stable of great vehicles, making their way back to the top where they belonged.


Where other manufacturers tended toward specialization in their vehicles, Nissan has always prided itself with a wide range of products, especially with their sedans where the Altima and Maxima are standouts for sportiness and performance.



The third generation Nissan Altima has been an unquestionable success since its introduction as an all-new design for 2002. For 2003, the main change has been retuning its technologically advanced 3.5-liter V6 engine to provide five additional horsepower, bringing it to 245.


"Despite a rookie season that was highlighted by great reviews and record sales, we’re not about to let the 2003 Altima rest on its laurels," said Bill Kirrane, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division. "Once you’ve set the bar in class, everyone is chasing you and we’re determined to keep Altima in front through continuous upgrades and enhancements, starting in 2003, with more power, more refinement and simplified equipment choices for our customers."


The Altima looks good with its wedge shape, high waistline and a fluid, smooth form. Large 16- and 17-inch wheels increase the aggressive look.


The Altima is a much larger vehicle than before and more powerful, too. It’s also a blast to drive with more power from the V6 motor than you would expect from a car that was once entry level. It’s also all-American, being assembled at Nissan’s plants in Tennessee. My test vehicle was equipped with the V6 powerplant mated to a slick five-speed manual gearbox. A 175 hp four-cylinder and an automatic transmission is also available. These are two of the best engines available anywhere, featuring continuously variable valve timing and a modular engine design.


The rear multi-link independent suspension was adapted and improved from the Japanese-market Nissan Skyline supercar and is similar to Infiniti’s flagship Q45 sedan. This is also a tight car with torsional rigidity increased by 70 percent, which helps provide confident handling. It’s also a quiet car.


Inside, the controls and finish are on par with more expensive import product, but with a lot of plastic in front of the front seat occupants. It’s a Japanese thing, they seem to like this look and it’s not that unpleasant. The seats are great with good support and have leather finishes available.


There is a power port inside the center console storage area for a mobile phone that actually is usable and large cup holders that can hold up to a one-liter bottle without it falling over as soon as you put your foot on the throttle.


My test car had the optional eight-speaker Bose® premium audio system with an in-dash six-disc CD changer, speed-sensitive volume control and steering wheel audio controls. It’s easy to use and sounds great.


The price of the 2003 Nissan Altima starts close to $18,000. With the bigger engine and other packages you can add almost $10,000 to that.


A step up from the Altima is Nissan’s four-door sports car, the Maxima and for 2003 Nissan kicked it up a notch with the addition of a new Titanium Edition Package for its popular SE model, enhancing Maxima’s already high level of sportiness even further. All three 2003 Maxima models come equipped with a version of Nissan’s performance standard 3.5-liter V6, similar to the motor in the Altima and the 350Z. The Maxima gives 255-horsepower with a unique balance of performance and luxury.


According to Kirrane, "The Maxima still sets the standard in class in terms of performance-oriented luxury sports sedans, a category it virtually invented nearly 20 years ago."


The Maxima was first introduced in 1981 and this fifth generation model, created at Nissan Design America, down the coast in La Jolla, is now a luxury car in the true sense of the word. With a stylish "wave" instrument panel design with a sweeping console, striking instrument panel and special attention to driver ergonomics. A seven-speaker 200-watt Bose” audio system with in-dash six-disc CD changer, Radio Data System (RDS) and speed-sensitive volume control is available as is the Nissan Navigation System with its three-dimensional BirdviewÔ map display, featuring an easy-to-read rolling display of roads, buildings and other points of interest in addition to the traditional intersection/flat plane map images.


I spent time with the top-of-the-line Maxima SE with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission that really brings out the sporty side of the Maxima. A leather-wrapped steering wheel, titanium-tint meter gauges with black numerals and drilled metal accelerator, brake and clutch pedals add to the look.


This is the last year for the current Maxima with an all-new car due out, as a 2004 model, next March. Nissan is keeping tight-lipped about the changes but we’ve been promised the first photo at the beginning of December and a car to touch at the LA Auto Show in January.


Current model Maximas and Altimas can be seen and driven at Silverstar Nissan in the auto mall.



255 horsepower, sporty, luxury-the 2003 Nissan Maxima

255 horsepower, sporty, luxury-the 2003 Nissan Maxima

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