Nissan may add a new model to lineup, a convertible version of its recently launched Altima coupe, pending on whether or not the project is given the green light. When the Altima’s development team originally looked at expanding the model range, they first turned to the idea of a wagon-based variant but eventually decided upon releasing a coupe.

The logical next step after a coupe is a convertible, but developers are still waiting on a decision from Nissan’s product planners. "I'd love that," said senior marketing manager Sean Blankenship in a recent interview with Edmunds Inside Line, but just as developers looked at several other variations before arriving at the coupe the team is once again looking at several alternatives.

The lower-priced convertible market has suffered in recent years, mostly due to a lack of fresh products and a movement towards sporty four-doors. With the release of the Altima Coupe, Nissan hoped to incite some interest into the segment and create a halo car for the Altima range.

If the convertible Altima enters production, it will enter a segment with less than a handful of competitors. Main rivals include cars such as the Toyota Solara, Chrysler Sebring or Pontiac G6 convertibles.