Employees from Nissan North America’s corporate headquarters joined the manufacturing team in Smyrna to celebrate the start of production of the company’s best-selling model in the U.S. market: the Nissan Altima.  The first 2007 production model rolled off the assembly line today.

Manufacturing Vice President Bill Krueger presented an oversized key to Marketing Director Fred Suckow at the mid-morning ceremony, symbolically handing off the all-new Altima from the manufacturing plant to the sales and marketing team.  The Altima sedan then drove through a banner stretched across the Trim & Chassis final line.

 “The Altima is an important car in the Nissan lineup, and the new model builds on the strengths of the former model,” said Krueger.  “We took a lot of actions to assure a high-quality launch.  We completed two system trials and two production trials to verify parts, systems and equipment. 

Dedicated launch teams made the Altima the total focus of a group of managers and production technicians, and we had dedicated trainers on each shift.  We installed new equipment in several zones, such as the rear subframe decking device, sunroof assist device and front-end module decking device.  And while we were working within all our functional groups, Nissan engineers were also working closely with suppliers to assure their preparedness.

“We’re confident that all these actions and many others will result in a high-quality vehicle that will provide a lot of value for our customers.”
The all-new 2007 Nissan Altima is evolutionary in design, but revolutionary in its platform and hardware while offering new levels of quality feel, enhanced comfort and available convenience features. 

Along with its distinctive styling, the fourth-generation Altima is built on the all-new Nissan “D” platform with improved body rigidity and a redesigned suspension. 

The new Altima also offers Nissan’s advanced Xtronic CVT™ (Continuously Variable Transmission), a choice of the award-winning VQ-series 3.5-liter V6 or powerful 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engines, and a long list of technology features – including available Intelligent Key with Push Start Ignition, Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone System, RearView Monitor and an advanced touch-screen navigation system.

 In calendar year 2005, Nissan North America sold 255,371 Altimas. 
Altimas produced in Smyrna are exported to Gulf Coast Countries, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and other countries.  In fiscal year 2006, Nissan will export approximately 40,000 Altimas.

Since the production launch of the first Altima on June 11, 1992, the Smyrna Plant has produced 2,448,367 units to date.  With the addition of 284,640 units built at Nissan’s vehicle assembly plant in Canton, Miss. – where production started on June 14, 2004 – Nissan has produced 2,733,007 Altimas in North America to date.

The Smyrna Plant employs 6,500 and represents an investment of $2.1 billion.  In addition to the Altima, the plant produces the Nissan Maxima, Nissan Xterra, Nissan Pathfinder and Nissan Frontier.