This press release is issued Jan. 6, 2002 (local time) by Nissan North America.
January 07, 2002
2002 Nissan Altima
Detroit (January 6, 2002) -- The all-new 2002 Nissan Altima was named "North American Car of the Year" today at an announcement at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The award is given to the vehicle receiving the most votes from a group of 50 top automotive journalists from the United States and Canada. It is based on a comprehensive evaluation of all new and significantly redesigned vehicles for the 2002 model year.
"The North American Car of the Year award is one of the most prestigious accolades in the automotive industry -- it's a tremendous honor for Altima," said Jed Connelly, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Nissan North America Inc. "We are pleased with the consumer and media response to the Altima since it hit dealership showrooms in August." The awards committee judges eligible vehicles based on innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.
"The 2002 Altima is a distinctive sedan with spirited performance and style designed to go head-to-head against the longtime class leaders in the midsize sedan segment," said Connelly. "This award proves that it does just that." The all-new, third generation 2002 Altima represents a total revision and rethinking of Nissan's midsize sedan - it brings a level of design and performance that currently does not exist in its class. With a choice of a 240-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 (first time a V6 is available in Altima) or 175-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission and an all-new 4-wheel independent suspension, Altima offers spirit with state-of-the-art technology. An aggressive new exterior design with increases in all major dimensions and a driver-oriented interior with myriad of convenience and luxury features set Altima apart in the highly competitive sedan marketplace.
Altima has a base MSRP of $16,349 for the Altima 2.5 model with manual transmission, while the top-of-the-line 3.5 SE with automatic transmission starts at $23,149. Prices do not include destination and handling.
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Related sites:
Altima information (Nissan North America website)