Suspect all these cars will run G Stock next year once classified. After seeing in Car & Driver that the SE-R V Spec outran a Subara Impreza 2.5RS by 6 seconds(!!!) on a road course, you gotta believe that thing is going to dominate autocrossing again. Torque rules in auto-X and the 2.5 liter four makes 180+ft-lbs. But the MP3 won the C&D road test over both cars and put up some amazing handling numbers, (.86g and 68mph slalom)so if it gets more power...watch out.

Then at Detroit someone ran a SVT Focus to a pretty incredible time as The Mark or Aussie pointed out in the Aussie bar post elsewhere in the AutoX forum.

That leaves the Altima as the unknown factor. Will it handle well enough to take advantage of its power. Saw an automatic 3.5 SE in my parking lot with Bridgestone Turanza EL42 M+S tires with a 300 treadwear rating (which should mean sticky) but only a Traction A and Temp A rating on the sidewall.
At size 215/55ZR-17 they hardly filled the wheel wells so with stickier larger tires (235/40ZR-17 Kuhmo 712 just $100)it could be a pretty good handler. Can't run STS as someone else pointed out due to the 3.1 liter STS limitation. Still in G Stock, SOMEONE will try to make a go of it. 245/40ZR-17 Hoosiers are $200 each, though. eek

Fastest Contour at SZ 2002 Auto-X. 10th in PAX out of 125. CEO of FOGEY(Fast Old Guys Emasculating Young-uns), Inc. Terry Haines, Chairman, Senior V.P.s: (alphabetical)JavaContour, Jet Mech, MFE, SeicoRacing, SVTSTS, Vern Kilburn. If your not a member, yet, wait a few years. I'm not just the CEO, but I'm a member, too. Working with the rank and file to get the job done right!

Historical:
63 TVR (1K in 74), 75 TR-7 (paid cash new), 79 RX-7 (zoom,zoom), 81 RX-7GSL (autobahn-driven),82 Mustang GT (autobahn-driven), 85 Mustang GT (SE Division F Stock Solo II Champ), 86 MR-2 (3rd SE Division D Stock), 88 Civic DX (had 1st born and still owned MR2) 92 Sentra SE-R (all go and no show), 98 EO SVT Contour (FTD SZ 2002). 02 Altima 3.5SE 5 spd!!!