Nissan Sentra SE-R – 2008 Preview: The 2008 Nissan Sentra SE-R is the latest performance version of the Sentra, continuing a line that started in 1991. It will be available in the standard SE-R and a more potent Spec V. Both will retail for around $20,000, and are targeted at enthusiast drivers who maybe like the Sentra’s mini-Maxima styling, but are put off by the base car’s soft ride and underachieving handling. The SE-R will be available with a 177-horsepower engine and CVT transmission with paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel. The Spec V ups the power to an even 200 hp, and comes only with a six-speed manual transmission. Both boast improved handling over the rest of the Sentra line, with the Spec V getting additional tuning on Germany’s famed Nurburgring race track.