Just something interesting I ran across:

I was reading an article earlier about the new Sentra Spec V with it's all-aluminum 4-banger making something like 177hp and its curb weight of 3100lbs!!!

So this new subcompact Nissan weighs just as much as thier flagship sedan from the early '90's with an iron block V-6 motor...

What am I missing???

 

i thought the spec V made 200?

 

I read the article also.

Beefier structure, more safety equipment (lot more air bags), bigger tires & wheels, etc... all add up.

A 1990 Nissan Sentra 2 dr coupe weighed 2156 lbs.

 

And it's crazy... Maxima's body design makes it look like a fairly large sized car. But when parked next to some of the newer "subcompacts" or whatever they're surprisingly big and bulky. I noticed a new Sentra hood being about the same height as the middle of my drivers window.... Our 3rd gens are just so low and streamlined

Dimensions:

2007 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec- V
Exterior

Wheelbase 105.7
Overall length 180.1
Overall width 70.5
Overall height
SE-R 59.5
SE-R Spec V 59.1
Track width (front/rear) 59.5/60.4

Interior
Head room (front/rear) without sunroof 40.6/37.3
Leg room (front/rear) 42.4/34.5
Hip room (front/rear) 54.1/53.0
Shoulder room (front/rear) 56.9/55.1

1993 Nissan Maxima SE

Wheelbase, in. 104.3
Overall Length, in. 187.6
Overall Width, in. 69.3
Overall Height, in. 55.1
Curb Weight, lbs. 3129
Cargo Volume, cu. ft. 14.5
Fuel Capacity, gals. 18.5
Seating Capacity 5
Front Head Room, in. 39.5
Max. Front Leg Room, in. 43.7
Rear Head Room, in. 36.9
Max. Rear Leg Room, in. 33.2

 

All hoods are tall now, its because of a pedestrian-related safety rule that requires a certain amount of clearance between the hood and the top of the engine. This way if you run someone down there is a crumple zone for them to land on.

I'm not sure how much injury it saves, but this has completely ruined car design because the tall hood leads to taller door lines and then to those ugly small windows in which the bottom of the window is above the drivers shoulder. Once again regulation ruins products instead of letting the free market drive innovation.

 

With all of the concern about fuel economy in cars today, you'd think they would be getting lighter...

 

not news to me