Though a variety of Nissan models were available for testing, company representatives made it clear that the intended star of this show was the Altima, the newest member of the NISMO family.

Obviously not ones to make a quiet entrance, marking this debut was a black R-tune Nissan Altima 2.5 S with the following NISMO parts:

• Modified camshafts ($1,600)
• Cold air intake system ($310)
• Semi-metallic front brake pads ($150)
• Rear decklid spoiler ($330)
• Modified headers ($900)
• Modified exhaust (still in the testing phase, meaning Nissan isn’t saying for sure that it’ll end up in the NISMO catalog)
• Stiffened shocks and springs specifically designed for the four-cylinder Altima ($800*)
• 24-mm front stabilizer bar and 27-mm rear stabilizer bar ($360)
• Rubber shift knob ($65-140)
• Bronze 18-inch by 8.5-inch alloy wheels, priced at $438 each (price of P235/45R18 Michelin Pilot Sport tires not included)
• NISMO graphics ($180*)
• NISMO floor mats ($79)
• NISMO license plate frame ($32)

Added up, these items reach around $6,500, not including installation. After taking a few laps around the track in a stock 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 S, it was apparent, as it was with the 3.5 SE, that the base model was ill-suited for punishing corners. It was quick but not powerful, a comfortable cruiser but no canyon carver.

Like the NISMO models discussed previously, the Altima 2.5 S benefited the most from a stiffer, beefier suspension setup and a good set of wheels and tires. As a result, handling was markedly improved. Again, due to the soaring temperatures, the cold air intake system was rendered ineffective. And those modified camshafts, priced at $1,600, added a bit of verve to the four-cylinder engine, but to this driver, $1,600 would be better spent as a down payment on a more powerful car. Or, better yet, save a few grand and increase the smiles-per-mile with the R-tune Sentra SE-R Spec V.