Nissan's coup

The Nissan Altima Coupe is an ambivalent beast. It looks like its bigger cousin, the Infiniti G37 Coupe, but falls short of it when it comes to performance. And that's what divides the petrol heads into two groups when it comes to the Altima Coupe.

There are those who fall for its looks, and don't mind the fact that it sports a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), even if it's the all-new Xtronic. And there are those who are not too impressed with fuel-saving features in a sporty coupe.

For, that's what Nissan has tried to do with the Altima Coupe, its 270hp VQ 3.5-litre V6 engine notwithstanding. CVTs basically do the job of a conventional automatic transmission but with fewer moving parts and better fuel economy.

A conventional automatic transmission has a set of gears, usually four or five, that conveys power to the wheels only through those predetermined gear ratios. When the transmission shifts gears during acceleration you can feel changes in the engine note and momentum, especially on an incline.

A CVT, on the other hand, uses a pulley system and drive belts or chains to provide a near-infinite range of "gear" ratios, according to Nissan boffins. The system constantly adjusts to find the ratio that gets the most out of the engine. Hence, gear changes are hardly discernible; what you do hear is a more or less constant engine note no matter how hard you accelerate.

Nissan has gone one up on the CVT with the Altima Coupe - it features the advanced Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS), which it claims now works over a wider rpm range for greater low-end torque. This also results in fuel savings, something you don't usually associate with sporty coupes. But forget all that technical guff: the Altima is fast and fun. It even does the 100km/h dash in around 6.4 seconds.

It's as if they've taken the Altima saloon and given it a dash of the 350Z's styling and driving dynamics.

Where the Altima Coupe falls short is that it's a four-seater with space only for two.

All right, few buy a coupe for its utility, but then why waste space on two useless seats?

That said, the Altima Coupe is a looker, with grille, lights, and body panels different from its saloon counterpart. It also sports a more steeply raked windshield, and is 7 inches shorter and 2.5 inches lower than the saloon.

While it shares the same engines with the saloon, the Coupe is faster because it's smaller and lighter. The four-wheel independent suspension has been fine-tuned for improved performance-oriented handling.

A sportier ride necessarily means a harsher one than you would experience in the Altima saloon, but the handling and manoeuvrability more than make up for it.

Though precise, the light steering is vague, with hardly any road feedback. However, torque steer has been reduced considerably. The brakes are spot on and the large 18-inch alloys do the job very well.

The fact that the Coupe is a front-wheel drive car, unlike the G37 Coupe, may stack the odds against it in a petrol head's book. It can never handle as well as a rear-wheel drive car. But when you drive it you realise this is as predictable and sporty as a front-wheel drive car can get.

Rear visibility could be an issue when backing up and it's just as well that the Coupe has an optional rear view camera.

Interiors

Designed to seat four, the Altima Coupe, we discovered, is more practical as a two-seater. The legroom in the back seat is comfortable only for children. Add to that its sloping roofline which reduces headroom substantially and you would realise that a six-footer would not be very comfy in there.

The rear seats can be folded 60/40, which enhances the meagre storage space of the 7.4-cubic-foot trunk.

The dashboard is dominated by the centre stack that is simple and easy to use, with accessible controls and dials. The steering is standard tilt and telescopic. The 8-way powered driver's seat is a delight and includes lumbar adjustment.

The materials used are of high-quality, with a lot of soft padding thrown in. Don't look for too many storage compartments - it's just the glovebox. Cup holders are also at a premium.

The Altima Coupe has the now standard Nissan SmartKey push-button ignition.

Sunroof, Bluetooth, and leather trim are standard in the high-end SE version.

A 9-speaker Bose audio system with an in-dash 6-CD changer lets you play MP3/WMA-encoded CDs, and includes an auxiliary audio input for an iPod.

Safety

The Coupe's safety features have earned it an impressive five stars in front and side impact tests and four stars in rollover tests.

Four-wheel disc and anti-lock braking system (ABS) brakes with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), dual-stage dual front-side airbags and side curtain airbags for both rows, front head restraints, a tyre-pressure monitor, and traction control are standard. Stability control is however an option.

A rear-view camera proves helpful to combat the coupe's blind spots. Nissan's advanced airbag system (AABS) includes dual stage supplemental front airbags with seat belt sensors and occupant-classification sensor.

Their inflation rate adjusts depending on the crash severity and seat belt usage. If the front passenger seat is empty, a sensor will deactivate the airbag.

Side-impact supplemental airbags are built into the front seats, so they move with you, while front seat active head restraints move up and forward during a rear-end collision.

This helps reduce the chances of whiplash-type injuries. Roof-mounted side-impact airbags help provide head protection.

Verdict

We liked its stylish looks and interior. The CCVT's fuel efficiency makes it practical and economical - two words I never thought could be used in relation to a sporty coupe.

Fast and sporty, and available for Dh99,950 for the full-options model - what more could you ask for? More power and a rear-wheel drive version, perhaps.