Nissan unveils Altimate track star

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/03/2019 (2750 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CIRCUIT MECAGLISSE, Que. — It’s an idea as outrageous as it is brilliant: take a regular sedan, remove the wheels, lift the suspension and add four tracks for unbeatable deep-snow performance.

Such is how the Nissan Altimate came to be. The brainchild of Didier Marsaud, Nissan Canada’s director of corporate communications, who also conceived of Nissan’s Micra Cup racing circuit, the Altimate is a marketing tool designed to highlight the standard all-wheel drive offered on the 2019 Nissan Altima.

It was or will be a star at the Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver auto shows, but it’s no mere stage accessory. It works.

Riding on large Dominator tracks from American Track Truck — which also supplied the tracks for the Nissan Rogue Warrior — there isn’t much that can stop the Altimate.

Turtling (getting high-topped on hardpack where the tracks can’t touch the ground), or trying to drive through a ditch where the slopes are too steep for the tracks — these are about the only two things that will stop it.

The difficult part was integrating the tracks and making it all look decent. Check out the fender flares, but more importantly, check out how well-integrated they are, particularly to accommodate the still-functional rear doors.

Driving the beast was a hoot. First, it’s loud, but get it up to speed and the sound drops, perhaps by sound waves cancelling each other. Speed also smooths out the ride, as there’s quite a bit of vibration at slower speeds.

The installation and finishing was done by Quebec-based Motorsports in Action.

The Altimate accessory package will be available… never.

kelly.taylor@freepress.mb.ca