The 2008 Nissan Altima’s idea of keyless entry has been known occasionally flummox Brian Brockman – when it comes to other cars, that is.
When Brockman, head of P.R. for Nissan North America Inc.’s Midwest Region, rents a car on business, he’s required to use a key to open and start it just like any other car. The Altima, however, has the Intelligence Key, which looks like a regular key but because of technology allows the driver to open and start the car with the press of a button; the key and car “speak” to each other without ever having to touch.
The Altima, Nissan’s best-selling vehicle, has consistently been a strong seller and enjoyed its highest-selling month ever in May, Brockman said. Consistent demand led the Nashville, Tenn.-based automaker to introduce a sporty Altima coupe in its 2008 line-up; those, too, have sold exceptionally well.
The Altima comes equipped with either a 2.5 liter, 4-cylinder engine or a 3.5 liter, V-6 performance engine from Nissan’s highly touted VQ line, giving the model a lot of flexibility.
Demand has become so strong that a hybrid version of the Altima has been introduced in eight states that have California’s emission standards.
“It’s an important vehicle in our line-up,” Brockman said.
Brockman also pointed out that all Nissans are built in the United States. But the coolest feature, at least for Brockman, remains the I-Key.
BREAKOUT
Alitma
Starts at $20,470
engine 2.5-liter 4-cylinder
MPG 32 highway, 23 city
Features Intelligence Key (I-Key) — a regular-looking key that opens and starts the car at the touch of a button
SIDEBAR
Rogue
Starts at $19,430
The second in Nissan’s foray into crossover vehicles offers 4-wheel drive with a Continuously Variable Transmission, making dangerous curves even more fun to maneuver and conquer.
350Z
Starts at $28,510
Little thought-of fact about Nissan’s well-loved, well-revered sports coupe: It received the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s highest rating of 5 stars for side-impact crash safety.
author: By Michelle L. Quinn