Just in time to catch a growing wave of sales in the two-door coupe segment of the market, Nissan is introducing the 2008 Altima Coupe, expected to be available sometime in early summer.

This one caught just about everybody in automotive journalism off guard -- there hadn't been any rumors that an Altima Coupe was coming down the pike.

It's a good looking car, too with a semi-fastback roofline and a bit of Italian flavor. It bears some resemblance to the 350 Z and the Infiniti G35 Coupe -- and those aren't bad company at all for a family car.

24 at Daytona: Historic Accomplishments

* - Duran became the first Mexican driver to earn an overall victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona since the legendary Pedro Rodriguez claimed back-to-back overall wins in 1970 and 1971. Rodriguez earned a total of four sports car victories at Daytona International Speedway, with wins in a 327-lap race in 1964 and a three-hour event in 1963 to go with his two 24-hour race victories.

* - Daytona Prototypes swept the top-10 overall finishing positions marking the first time in the 45-race history of the Rolex 24 At Daytona that one class accounted for the entire top 10. Two years ago, Daytona Prototypes claimed the first nine positions, and GTP cars also swept the top nine in 1988.


* - The GT class established a new record in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, as the 41 cars that started the race made it the largest single class in race history.

10-pint crash man banned

VILLAGE newcomer Jack Chapman drunk 10 pints in the Rose and Crown, at Manea, before he crashed into a wall on Saturday night, scattering parts of his car.Police found a wheel trim and bumper of his silver Peugeot 106 at the accident site in East Street - but Chapman had fled the scene.When officers arrived at his home in Jolly Close, they found him wearing a dressing gown and claiming he had been in all night.Chapman, 29, later admitted he had been driving the car when it hit a wall, and he gave a breath test reading more than double the legal alcohol limit.Appearing before Fenland magistrates on Wednesday, he admitted drink-driving, failing to stop after the accident, and failing to report the accident."He collided with the wall, he admits that and apologises profusely," said solicitor Michael Ruck.

Porsche Cars North America Reports 13 Percent January Sales ...

ATLANTA--Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), importer and distributor of Porsche sports cars and Cayenne SUVs in the United States and Canada, today announced January sales of 119 new cars compared to sales of 105 for the same period last year. This represents a double digit increase of 13 percent for the month.