Nissan North America begins production of its ʼ19 Altima after a $170 million upgrade to its plants in Smyrna, TN, and Canton, MS.
The upgrades include a state-of-the-art laser brazing system in the body shop that gives the flexibility to weld the vehicles’ trunklids; a new polyurethane stone guard coat system for the paint shop; and calibration equipment to help ensure the reliability and functionality of Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist technology.
Heath Holtz, Nissan North America’s senior vice president-manufacturing, supply chain management and purchasing, says the Smyrna plant has produced almost 4.6 million Altimas since June 1992. The company now has spent almost $12 billion on its U.S. manufacturing operations.
The all-new Altima, available this fall, offers ProPILOT Assist technology, two new engines including the groundbreaking variable-compression turbo, and the first application of intelligent all-wheel drive in a Nissan sedan in the U.S.
The Altima will be available in five trim levels, along with a limited-production “Edition One” launch model. It also will be available in an expanded number of global markets in coming years.
