- Nissan wants more sports cars besides the GT-R and Z.
- The company is exploring an entire ‘sports lineup’ with a more fan-focused model.
- Executives have hinted at the return of the Silvia nameplate
Nissan is preparing to return. We were there earlier this week when the company unveiled the new Rogue E-Power Hybrid at its headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, while also teasing the return of the Xterra nameplate. But it doesn’t stop there.
In a conversation with Richard Candler, Nissan’s head of global product strategy, he said the brand is serious about bringing sporty cars back into its lineup. And it’s not just GT-R and Z—perhaps other enthusiast favorites, too. He noted:
‘We are really considering in depth the sports line-up again. We want to make some cool cars. The first car I bought was a Silvia, so I wanted to bring back that nameplate. I think it’s very valuable… I think there’s still room for Silvia, and we need to find the right solution for that.’
Photo by: Nissan
This isn’t the first time Nissan has hinted at reviving the Silvia. CEO Ivan Espinosa previously suggested that more sports cars were being developed alongside the upcoming R36 GT-R. While he didn’t confirm the specifics of the Silvia nameplate, he did say that we’ll see “more sports cars coming into the portfolio.”
It’s still unclear what the new Silvia will look like, but it will most likely target rivals such as the Mazda Miata and Toyota GR86/Subaru BRZ. As Candler says, “price access and accessibility are important for the product.”
Motorcycle Pickup1: If Nissan follows through, this could be just what the brand needs. Leaning back into affordable, driver-focused sports cars—especially cars like the revived Silvia—will help bring back enthusiasts in a way that crossovers and EVs can’t.
