Nissan Chief Says the Company Needs a New Sports Coupe

It’s been 12 years since Japanese automaker Nissan unveiled its pair of concept cars — the IDx Freeflow and IDx Nismo. These models once hinted at an inspiring future for affordable, rear-wheel-drive coupes, but they never made it to production. At the time, Nissan explained that the company feared internal competition between the IDx Nismo and the 370Z, citing weak customer interest and the lack of a suitable plant for assembly.

Today, Nissan’s new CEO, Ivan Espinosa, is still thinking about the IDx concept. In an interview with Kuruma News, the executive said that a car capturing the spirit of those concepts could be a real breakthrough for the brand.

According to Espinosa, such a model could serve several purposes at once — emphasizing Nissan’s unique character while attracting a younger audience. He stressed that it’s not just about offering an affordable price tag, but also about creating a car that resonates emotionally with young drivers and sparks their interest in the brand.

When asked about the possibility of reviving the Silvia nameplate, Espinosa admitted he’d love to bring it back, but questioned whether it would be feasible. He noted that the car would need to be light enough while still meeting modern safety standards.

Meanwhile, Nissan recently announced a recall of more than 173,000 vehicles in the U.S. due to a potential fuel pump issue. The recall affects three models: the Nissan NV200 taxi, the NV200 van, and the Chevrolet City Express, which Nissan built for General Motors.