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2016 Nissan Sentra to get heavy restyle

Nissan is having a banner year when it comes to launching updated products in 2015. The latest Maxima is already on sale in showrooms, and the next-gen Titan joins it later. Refreshes for the Sentra (2014 model year pictured above) and Altima are also on the way, and the changes are likely to be significant to stay competitive in the compact sedan segment. "It will be an incredibly freshened Sentra," Fred Diaz, Nissan Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing in the US, said to Automotive News. The big changes reportedly include a thorough restyling and some new tech. Nissan North America Director of Product Communications Dan Bedore confirmed to Autoblog the company will launch refreshes to the Sentra and Altima "later this year" but wouldn't give a more precise timeline or other details about them. However, rumors about the restyling are already out there, and Sentra's overhaul reportedly takes inspiration from the Pulsar in Europe. That might mean a move to Nissan's pointed, V-shaped grille and more aggressive, angular headlights with better-integrated LED running lights than the current design. Meanwhile, the Altima's update potentially borrows cues from the Murano and Maxima and could see improved fuel economy. This comprehensive restyling comes despite Nissan already having a major success in the US with the current Sentra. Volume this year is up 15.5 percent through May with 88,701 sales. Also, the sedan had its best numbers in the past 25 years in 2014 with 183,268 of them sold, according to Automotive News. Related Video:

Nissan built a Skyline that you can almost live in

The Infiniti Q50 is pretty long in the tooth, but parent company Nissan is still trying to keep things interesting. In Japan it's sold as the Nissan Skyline, and a new concept based on the luxury sedan converts it into a space you could actually live in.  The cumbersomely named Nissan Skyline Contemporary Lifestyle Vehicle Concept adds a slew of convenience features that you should never use while driving. When parked, however, they turn your car into a little living room. For example, there's a little smartphone holder that folds out from the steering wheel so you can prop your screen up and watch a movie. If that's too small a viewing surface for you, the center infotainment touchscreen can be removed from its dashboard perch and used as a tablet. And if that's still too small for you, there's a screen mounted in the headliner above the rear seats. How do you watch a screen in that location? Glad you asked. The front seats, headrests, rear bench and passthrough to the trunk all lay flat in one uniform surface sleeping area. When lying down, the screen will be right above your head. And should you get cold, the driver's door panel pops open to reveal a blanket while the cupholder has a heating element to keep a beverage warm. On the flip side, should you get hot, a button on the inside B-pillar activates the air conditioning so you don't even have to sit up to access the climate control. While awake, you can avail yourself of multiple table surfaces located around the cabin. One folds out from the center console like on a business class airplane seat. A detachable sun visor also turns into a table. Then get a little work done by plugging in to either the 100-volt outlet in the passenger side mirror or an on-board portable battery. Obviously you wouldn't want to get your nice jacket wrinkled as you lounge in the car, so the grab handle above the door expands into a hanger wide enough to keep your coat uncreased. Other clever storage options include an umbrella compartment in the door sill, a bin located in the headrest, and a hands-free kick-activated locker below the rear bumper where a diffuser would reside. Perhaps most superfluous of all is a trash receptacle located in the driver's side mirror. You'd still have to empty it when full, but at least smelly garbage would be outside the car. Oh yeah, there's one final viewing surface, the largest of them all.

Nissan recalls over 120,000 Altimas due to... spare tire inflation?!

A pressure regulator that over- or underinflated spare tires for five days earlier this year has led to a recall of 123,308 units of the 2013 Nissan Altima. Sedans that were manufactured from March 21-26 are those possibly affected by the temporary tire snafu, the recall for which will begin on May 3.
Those notified of the issue can take their sedans to their local Nissan dealer, who will check the tire pressure and correct it if necessary, but we imagine owners can probably just whip out a tire gauge to check and adjust the inflation for themselves. Should you need it, there's an official notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration below with a few more details.