- Nissan’s global product boss sees a chance for a new Silvia despite a small market.
- Ivan Espinosa envisions a reborn Silvia with “good enough power at the right price.”
- It could compete with affordable sports cars like the Toyota GR86 and Mazda MX-5.
The Silvia, also known as the 200SX and 240SX in some markets, may have vanished from Nissan’s lineup since 2002, but there’s a promising chance the nameplate could make a comeback. The company’s global product boss acknowledged that reviving the Silvia would be challenging, yet he believes they could make it work.
Ivan Espinosa, Vice President of Nissan’s Global Product Strategy and Product Planning Division, discussed the “far-fetched” idea of a new Silvia positioned below the GT-R. He envisions it offering “good enough power at the right price that customers find attractive”. Espinosa expressed his passion for reviving the Silvia, adding that the nameplate has a lot of fans.
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These comments were made during a recent interview with Top Gear, prompting our colleagues to ask Espinosa about the possibility of a new generation. The high-ranked official spoke about the challenges but sounded optimistic:
“The chances are there, but in the end, it’s a business, so I need to find ways to make this sort of proposal interesting to the company. Sometimes cars like this do struggle a bit because the audience isn’t that big, but it can work if we find the right idea that can be run everywhere in the world.”
1999 Nissan Silvia Spec R Aero S15
Espinosa elaborated further: “We cannot do these products regionally or as one-offs because it just doesn’t make sense. But there is a chance. It’ll be a challenge, but it’s my job to find ways to do stuff like this because I think it’ll be great for customers and the brand, and if I can put the right formula in place we could make it work.”
Reading between the lines, a new Silvia could join the Nissan Z as a more affordable – and likely electrified – sportscar. This could position it as a direct competitor to the Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, and Mazda MX-5, as well as the upcoming Honda Prelude hybrid.
Nissan has pledged to unveil 30 new models by 2026 including 16 EVs and hybrids, under “The Arc” business plan. While the exact timing of the Silvia’s return is uncertain, it’s likely to appear later, allowing ample time for development and market readiness.
Nissan’s Goal With Performance EVs
Besides the Silvia, which was the highlight of the interview, Espinoza talked about other topics, including the performance and driving dynamics of future Nissan EVs.
Nissan’s global head of product planning revealed that the company’s e-4ORCE electric all-wheel-drive system incorporates tuning insights gained from the legendary GT-R. A scaled-down version of this technology powers the Nissan Ariya Nismo, generating a potent 429 horsepower (320 kW / 435 PS) from its dual electric motors.
Espinoza emphasized Nissan’s focus on balancing traction and driving dynamics, prioritizing cornering prowess over outright acceleration for its electric vehicles. He highlighted battery technology as the crucial factor in developing an electric hypercar, emphasizing advancements in packaging, density, power output, and weight reduction.
The exec also suggested that “some sort of hyper-EV” might emerge when solid-state batteries debut in 2028, potentially referring to the R36 Nissan GT-R.
Note: This story contains illustrations that are not endorsed by or affiliated with Nissan.
