A garbled Nissan badge and oddly shaped windows sparked questions about promotional images of a 300-horsepower Sentra concept. Nissan has since confirmed that AI-assisted editing introduced inaccuracies into photographs of what it says is a real, physical car.
Here's what to know
The Sentra Spec-V Concept is a one-off project intended for the SEMA automotive industry show in Las Vegas, according to The Autopian.
The proposed drivetrain pairs a manual transmission and limited-slip differential with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. Elsewhere, the concept calls for suspension upgrades, Brembo braking hardware, and Recaro seats sourced from the GT-R.
The Nissan emblem appeared as unreadable markings, and the rear-door window had a different shape from the production car's. The Autopian credited Motor 1 with first flagging discrepancies in the promotional photographs.
Other images showed black plastic trim appearing as glass, unevenly sized and spaced lug nuts, and distorted Sparco harness logos. Even the pictured tire tread differed from that of the Yokohama Advan AD09 tires specified for the concept.
More background
The Spec-V name links the project to Nissan's earlier performance Sentras, though the concept's stated power would put it well above its predecessors.
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The concept's promised 300 horsepower compares with 200 horsepower for the SE-R Spec-V and 188 horsepower for the Sentra Nismo. According to The Autopian, the SE-R Spec-V's final model year was 2012, while the Nismo remained on sale in 2019.
Garbled lettering on the brake fluid reservoir cap made even the engine photograph look suspect. As The Autopian framed it, the concept offered a look at a Sentra equipped to compete with the Hyundai Elantra N and Honda Civic Type R.
What's being done?
Nissan said the concept was photographed in a real garage, with AI tools used during post-production rather than to invent the entire vehicle.
"During post-production, AI-assisted editing tools were used to create and refine elements of the image backgrounds," Nissan said, according to The Autopian. "In that process, unintended inaccuracies were introduced to some vehicle details in the published images."
The company said it was collaborating with its creative partners on corrected replacements for the photographs.
It also committed to displaying the physical concept at SEMA, allowing attendees to see the actual car rather than rely on the flawed promotional images.
"The Sentra Spec-V Concept itself is exactly that: a real, physical concept vehicle," Nissan said. "We look forward to showing it in person when it makes its SEMA debut next week."
Where can I learn more?
AI-altered images have also caused trouble in car sales, photography competitions, and weather coverage.
• Scammers used AI-generated Toyota images to sell a man a nonexistent $36,000 vehicle.
• An AI-edited image won a Maryland State Fair photography award, prompting a ban the following year.
• A meteorologist warned that fake AI tornado footage is becoming difficult to spot during emergencies.
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