Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa expresses strong interest in reviving the IDx concept or bringing back the Silvia to attract younger buyers and strengthen brand identityThe IDx never reached production 12 years ago due to concerns about overlapping with the 370Z, insufficient demand, and lack of suitable manufacturing facilitiesDespite Espinosa's enthusiasm, Nissan is currently cutting 20,000 jobs, closing seven factories, and shutting two design studios amid severe financial struggles It's been 12 years since Nissan dangled the IDx concepts in front of enthusiasts like a particularly cruel carrot. The IDx Freeflow and IDx Nismo previewed an affordable rear-wheel-drive coupe that looked brilliant, sounded promising, and ultimately never materialized because Nissan decided that making money was more important than making enthusiasts happy. Fair enough, but still disappointing. Now, in 2025, Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa is still thinking about the IDx, which is either admirably persistent or slightly delusional given the company's current circumstances. Speaking to Japanese magazine Kuruma News, Espinosa said a car similar in spirit could do wonders for the brand. "I think a car like the IDx will serve many purposes. It would be a car that helps express the Nissan brand. Secondly, it has the potential to appeal to a younger demographic, as it is very important for an automaker to continue to attract younger customers to its brand." He's not wrong. A compelling, affordable sports car can transform a brand's image. Look at what the TT once did for Audi, turning them from sensible German aunt into something genuinely desirable. Nissan IDx and Silvia revival challenges When asked about reviving the Silvia, Espinosa said he "would love to bring it back" but questioned its feasibility. The car would need to be lightweight while meeting modern crash safety regulations, which is challenging but not impossible. Mazda has managed it with the MX-5 Miata for decades, proving that lightweight sports cars can satisfy safety regulators without turning into overweight compromises. If Mazda can do it, why couldn't Nissan? The original IDx concepts were supposedly based on the last-generation S15 Silvia platform, though Nissan never confirmed this. For now, revival plans remain "just an idea in my head," according to Espinosa. Which is corporate speak for "don't hold your breath." Espinosa is genuinely an enthusiast, daily driving a Z to work, and his predecessor Makoto Uchida called him a "real car guy." But being a car guy doesn't pay the bills or fix fundamental business problems. So there we have it. Nissan's CEO would love to build a new sports car, possibly reviving the IDx or Silvia, because he's a genuine enthusiast who understands what makes cars exciting. But his company is simultaneously cutting thousands of jobs and closing factories, which suggests that exciting sports cars aren't exactly priority number one. It's a shame, because the automotive world could use more affordable, engaging rear-wheel-drive coupes. But wishing doesn't make it so, and Nissan has far bigger problems to solve before they can indulge in enthusiast fantasies. Maybe in a few years, once they've stopped the bleeding and stabilized the business, we can revisit this conversation. Until then, the IDx remains what it's always been: a beautiful concept that exists only to remind us what might have been.
