So, here's my baby. It's a 2009 Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5 SE MT. It has a dark slate gray exterior, charcoal gray interior, with the premium package. This is my first brand-new car, and my first MT car.
Here's a side view, which I think provides a good idea of the size and proportions:
Here's the front as seen from the passenger side. The seats are leather, the rest of the interior is mostly in a soft plastic, parts in a rigid plastic, and aluminum trim.
Here is one view of the back seats. You can probably also tell from this picture one of the problems with the car, namely poor visibility when trying to look out the back due to the small window and thick rear pillar.
However, the seating in the back is pretty spacious, although perhaps a wee bit uncomfortable unless you're missing your legs below the knee.
Here's the instrument cluster. I am proud of the fact that my combined city/highway MPG is 27.2. Average highway mileage in this car is 26 or 27.
Here's the entertainment and environmental control panel. This model comes with a 6-CD changer, 9 speaker Bose sound system, and an audio in jack if you want to use your mp3 player instead. The AC is dual zone, so your passenger can set it to a different value if preferred. It also has a hands-free Bluetooth connection for your cell phone, of which I have made a lot of use. I didn't take a picture of it, but there are two compartments in the armrest, one of which contains a power outlet. I have my cell-phone car charger plugged into that, and I run the connector up into the second compartment, which is just big enough for the cell phone, so I can keep the cell phone charged up in the car, and no one can see it from the outside.
Another interior feature which I absolutely love is the rear view mirror, which is auto-dimming and has a built-in compass. Driving around the back roads, I have already had occasion to appreciate the compass function, and as someone who does a fair amount of night driving, I love the auto-dimming feature as well. No more headlights glaring into my eyes at night! Also, the ceiling compartment between the mirror and the dome light is designed to hold a pair of sunglasses.
One more strike against the car, though, is the trunk space. It is a surprisingly shallow trunk. I can only barely fit the bodies of my victims inside, and I have to make sure they are unconscious, because there is an interior trunk release. The rear seats fold down, and the catches are inside the trunk, which could be considered either good or bad. There's one dangling to the left of my car cover. I think I'd rather that they were accessible from the doors, or even better from both the doors or the trunk. Oh well, maybe the 2010 model will address that...
. very cool
I bet that thing eats up the highways like nothing.
Wheels at the extreme corners means more balance. You want a long wheelbase and a short width...
Why would you want a shorter wheelbase? Maybe if we were talking about something that's so long that it's difficult to park, but then you're not very worried about handling or stability anyway...
