Like the Stanza before it, the original Altima was based on the Nissan Bluebird SSS (chassis model U13), though its original styling hailed from Nissan's California design studio in 1989. Initially, the car's official name was "Stanza Altima," which appears on the early owners manuals. 1993 models can be seen with a sticker reading "Stanza" in small lettering to the left of the ALTIMA emblem on the trunk lid.