Nissan  has  begun  production of the fifth generation Altima at the Japanese automaker’s assembly complex in Smyrna, Tennessee. The new model builds on Altima’s reputation for quality and reliability and adds new levels of innovation, fuel-efficiency, dynamic performance and premium style, Nissan officials emphasized this week.
"The Nissan Altima ranks among the country's top-selling cars and best-known nameplates," said Bill Krueger, vice chairman, Nissan Americas. "This generation is not only the most innovative Altima ever, it also becomes the benchmark for quality in the midsize car segment. And there's no better plant to rise to the challenge than our top-quality manufacturing operations in Smyrna."
The Altima begins arriving at Nissan dealers nationwide in June with a manufacturer's suggested retail priceof $21,500.
Among the 2013 Altima's attributes are a targeted best-in-segment* fuel economy of 38 mpg highway with the standard 4-cylinder engine, new premium exterior styling with a strong presence, an upscale interior with premium materials, and a fun-to-drive demeanor with projected best-level acceleration.
 The new Altima offers standard Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone System with Streaming Audio via Bluetooth. Also available are NissanConnect and NissanConnect  Navigation with a suite of Bluetooth phone connectivity features, including hands-free text message integration, Pandora playback, real-time GooglePOI search and more; along with Easy Fill Tire Alert, and next-generation Safety Shield Technologies, including Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning and rear-facing Moving Object Detection systems. By Joseph Szczesny