The humble Nissan Altima may not stir up much excitment, but when the fourth generation burst onto the scene in 2007, its blend of value and performance was enough to give pause to the likes of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. That was half a decade ago--since then both the Camry and Accord have undergone serious overhauls, leaving the current-generation Altima looking a bit dated. We're looking forward to seeing how Nissan plans to strike back in New York.
Automakers typically don't take too many chances with their D-segment large sedans, so we're not expecting anything too revolutionary where the Altima's power train is concerned. The safe bet is that the base model will be powered by a more efficient and slightly more powerful version of Nissan's four-cylinder engine, displacing about 2.5 liters. There will likely be a step-up V-6 trim level that leaves enough power on the table to give the Maxima and Infiniti G breathing room. Of course, a hybrid model is in the pipeline that should take advantage of the lithium ion electrification tech developed for the Infiniti M hybrid, albeit at a lower displacement with a stronger emphasis on efficiency than on winning "world's fastest hybrid" contests.
On the other hand, we do have a pretty good idea of what the next Altima will look like thanks to a trio of video teasers released via the automaker's official YouTube channel that show off the vehicle's front and rear ends, as well as a bird's-eye view of the 2013 model. Check out all three videos after the jump.