Ivan Espinosa has been with Nissan since 2003, working his way up to Chief Planning Officer before being recently appointed CEO. His predecessor, Makoto Uchida, described him as a “real car guy,” which makes sense, given that the new head honcho drives a Z daily. He was actually involved in the development of the current generation, and it’s the model he’s most proud of working on.
An enthusiast through and through, the 46-year-old Mexican wants to revive other sports car nameplates. In an extended interview with Automotive News, Espinosa promised Nissan that it would “continue to work on sports cars.” He added that it’s part of the company’s DNA, mentioning the “GT-R name will exist into the future.” Although the top brass didn’t go into details, the bonkers Hyper Force concept hinted at a fully electric Godzilla. The company's program design director, Giovanny Arroba, called it a “daring but tangible dream to achieve by the end of the decade.”
When asked which dormant nameplate he’d like to revive the most, Nissan’s new CEO said: "The Silvia, no doubt." It’s not the first time Espinosa has brought up the Silvia. Nearly a year ago, he described the resurrected sports car as having "good power at the right price that customers find attractive." Not long after, he confirmed that early development work had begun: 'We've been doing some very early upstream exercises of what the architecture could look like." However, at that point, a production version had yet to be green-lit.
If you’re still not convinced he’s an enthusiast, consider this: his passion for cars was fueled by a soft spot for the 300ZX, which ultimately inspired him to work for Nissan. But here’s a reality check: models like the Z, Silvia, and GT-R won’t be enough to get the Japanese automaker back on track. Sports cars are niche products that, while exciting, won’t significantly impact the company’s bottom line. A smarter strategy would be a comprehensive overhaul of the lineup, prioritizing high-volume models. SUVs and crossovers are the way to go – that's how the cookie crumbles nowadays.
With 9,000 job cuts and three factory closures looming as part of a radical restructuring plan, fun cars alone won’t be enough to turn Nissan around. There are far bigger fish to fry, so don’t expect to see a new Silvia at your local dealership anytime soon. Maybe one day, after the company is on more solid financial ground, we could see a revival of beloved models.
Source: Automotive News
