Nissan has given the strongest signal yet that we could see the return of the iconic Silvia before the end of the decade as a new electric sports car.
Speaking to media, Nissan global product strategy vice president Ivan Espinosa said the sports car market is shrinking, but he’s pushing for and trying to make a new Silvia work.
“I’m trying to make it work, I’m trying to make it happen. It’s not an easy case… it’s not easy because the sports cars market is shrinking,” Mr Espinosa said.
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“So you need to find something that can work globally in order to have enough scale to make something work at the same time… potentially [an] electrified sports cars.
“The assets need to be created from the ground up. So this requires a serious level of investment and this is what’s proving a bit difficult at the moment.
“But as I said and I keep saying it in my brain, [I want] three sports cars in my lineup – a GT-R, a Z, and something else. And this whole thing else in my brain is called the Silvia. Now, will we do it? I’m trying.”
Mr Espinosa explained the plan would be to have a Silvia slot between the Z and GT-R, and that it would be entirely electrified.
IDx Nismo concept
It would then be followed by an electric GT-R – which was previewed at the last Tokyo motor show as the solid state battery-powered Hyper Force concept.
His plan is to have this vehicle ready to roll by the end of the decade and for it to work, Nissan may need a partner in another car brand to make the idea come to fruition.
“We might need help on some other areas where others are probably stronger than us, but in this particular area [making sports cars], just like in the Patrol, we are very good at. We’re very good at doing these kind of cars,” Mr Espinosa said.
“So that’s why probably rather than going and asking help from someone, I can probably do this and a way of building a scale could be going and offering to some of the partners we’re working with [to have access to the platform].
IDx Freeflow concept
“I can tell you what I would like to do but, I would love to see something before the end of the decade.”
Rival Toyota co-developed the 86 and GR86 with Subaru – resulting in the BRZ for the latter – and famously formed a partnership with BMW for the revival of the Supra and the continuation of the Z4.
While the Supra hasn’t been the runaway success both brands thought it would be, an electric platform for the Silvia may be an easier process to scale for Nissan to pitch as a partnership with a likeminded car brand.
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