Nissan currently has a single sports car on its global lineup, which is the Z. 2025 marks the last model year of the R35 GT-R and its successor is yet to be revealed. But there might be some good news to look out for. Top Gear recently interviewed Ivan Espinosa, Nissan's VP of global product strategy. There he was asked whether Nissan had plans for building a cheaper sports car. That is when he hinted about the potential resurrection of the Silvia. He stated that offering a new Silvia with good power and at the right price would be the ideal scenario. It would be slotted below the Nissan GT-R and above the Nissan Z. However, he mentioned this as a “far-fetched” idea. But, chances are still there for a potential revival. Espinosa said that projects like a new Silvia cannot be worked out “regionally or as one-offs”. He added that it would be a challenge, but also that it is his job to make stuff like this possible. As per him, the primary challenge is that cars like the Silvia are targeted at a niche audience. But, it could materialize if they could find the right idea that would work out globally. He does acknowledge that it would be a great proposition for both the brand and its customers. He finished off by saying, “If I can put the right formula in place, we could make it work”. What Is The Nissan Silvia? Back in the day, the Nissan Silvia was the ultimate embodiment of a factory drift car. It was a front-engine rear-wheel-drive sports car, available at a reasonable price. The Silvia came to life back in the 1960s, as the Datson 1600 Coupe. This first-gen Silvia was a hand-built car, of which only 554 units were ever produced. The second-gen S10, introduced in 1975 was the first mass-produced Silvia. It was also the first to enter the American market, dubbed the 200SX. The Silvia became super-popular after the introduction of the S13 generation in 1988. It was called the 200SX in the European market and 240SX in the U.S. The S13 Silvia boasted an affordable price tag, energetic handling, and performance-tuned suspension. This spectacular combo made it a legendary drift car in Japan. This trend continued in the S14 Silvia, which was an incremental yet notable upgrade. The S15 Silvia continued to offer this desirable performance formula. However, it was the end of the line and Nissan discontinued the Silvia after this generation. 2002 marked the last model year of the Silvia. This last-gen S15 Silvia is still an enthusiast-favorite tuner car, with hardcore fans around the globe. The revival of the Silvia might result in the resurgence of its days of glory. If positioned correctly, it might turn out to be an impressive proposition. Source: Top Gear, Motor1, Nissan
