The 2008 Nissan Altima coupe has been a long time coming. Altima enthusiasts now have a sportier option for their favorite vehicle. The good news is that this car lives up to its hype.

The idea of a front wheel drive coupe is a paradox to many car enthusiasts. The fact of the matter is that the 2008 Nissan Altima isn’t meant to compete with rear-drive coupes like the Mustang GT or the RX-8. The Nissan Altima coupe is designed for the person who wants a couple, but also wants other things like a comfortable ride, plenty of interior space, and decent fuel economy. By far, the 2008 Nissan Altima coupe is the best of the front wheel drive coupes.

Nissan started out, of course, with the Altima sedan. The Altima is a sporty option among all of the family-friendly sedans. Nissan changed the sedan quite a bit, however, to make the coupe. They shortened the wheelbase by four inches, and they made all new body panels. The 2008 Nissan Altima coupe looks sharp, with it’s chrome front “moustache” and its sleek curves.

The Nissan Altima coupe comes in several options. The top of the line is the 3.5 SE trim coupe. This model has a 3.5 liter V6 engine with 270 horsepower. To this coupe you can add the premium package, which gives you xenon headlights, a leather upholstery, automatic climate controls, and even a Bose sound system. In addition, you can add stability control. Antilock disc brakes and airbags are standard on that model.

The Low end, the 2.5 S coupe, has a 2.5 liter four cylinder engine that has 175 horsepower.
The Nissan Altima coupe is available with a six-speed manual transmission, or with a CVT (continuously variable transmission). It is the CVT that, in many ways, helps with the performance of this car. The CVT responds instantly to changes in the throttle, and you won’t have out-of-control RPMs when driving the Nissan Altima coupe with the CVT.

Overall, the 2008 Nissan Altima coupe is an excellent choice if you’re in the market for a sporty, fuel efficient, good performing coupe.