The retro-styled Nissan IDx concepts that were originally unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show last year have taken a trip to Detroit for the 2014 NAIAS and it looks like we’ll be hearing about them in the future.
That’s because at least one of the twin concepts will go into production by 2016, according to Nissan executive vice president Andy Palmer.
“I don’t say that we won’t do both, but we will definitely do one of them. Obviously there’s a debate internally whether you go for the lifestyle one and leave the Nismo one in a slightly different place,” Palmer was quoted as saying by CarAdvice at the Detroit Auto Show.
While Nissan sees the lifestyle IDx Freeflow powered by a “1.2-to-1.5L gasoline engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT)”, the wider, sportier IDx Nismo is envisioned with a powertrain consisting of a “high-performance, eco-friendly 1.6L direct-injection turbocharged engine together with a sporty CVT with 6-speed manual shift mode and synchronized rev control.”
Palmer didn’t confirm the displacement of the engine for the production IDx, but said it will be a relatively small engine, as the car is very light. The rear-wheel-drive production IDx would obviously target the Toyota GT86, but Palmer said Nissan plans to do that differently.
“I think our intention is to be different from the Toyota 86. We’re really looking at sports cars from different angles,” he said. As for the styling of the production car, the executive said it will follow closely that of the concepts.
So what do you think? Which of the IDx concepts should Nissan build?
By Dan Mihalascu
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