In its never-ending quest to outfit cars with tire replacements that can handle post-apocalyptic terrain, Nissan went and added snow tracks to one of its latest sedans.
Nissan on Thursday unveiled the Altimate AWD concept. Aside from having a fun name, Nissan said the Altimate AWD concept was a fun way to show off the automaker’s first-ever AWD application in the Altima sedan. In Canada, where this concept will debut, AWD is standard.
To make tackling the snow a breeze, Nissan outfitted its concept with snow tracks instead of regular ol’, you know, wheels. The tracks are each 48 inches long and 30 inches tall, giving the Altima just a bit more height than usual. There’s also a 3-inch lift in there to ensure the tracks fit in the first place.
To make the tracks look good, Nissan gave the concept some wild 7-inch fender flares that help divert four rooster tails of snow away from the body. Instead of just bolting on some one-size-fits-all boys from the JC Whitney catalog, Nissan called on Quebec’s Motorsports in Action group to create a bespoke widebody kit that took about 150 hours to assemble. If you want to check it out in person, it’ll be at the 2019 Montreal International Auto Show in February.
If there’s one thing Nissan loves, it’s slapping a set of tracks on a newly released car. The automaker started the trend in early 2016, when it added snow tracks to a Nissan Rogue SUV, eventually adding the same kit onto its larger SUVs, too. The following April, Nissan eschewed the winter theme and turned the Rogue into a dirt-tackling brute. The latest creation came at the 2018 Chicago Auto Show, when it debuted the 370Zki. Instead of relying on tracks alone, Nissan gave that concept a set of front skis.
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