Is Nissan's New Boss Serious About 'Four or Five' Halo Vehicles Like the GT-R?
Nissan will enter a new chapter next week, as Ivan Espinosa is set to become the youngest CEO in the brand's history. The 46-year old Mexico native has already spent more than a quarter-century with the automaker, and he's wasting no time sharing his early vision for the brand's necessary shakeup. Luckily for enthusiasts, Espinosa seems to have pretty strong feelings about the future of nameplates like the Z, the GT-R, and even the Silvia.
Espinosa has had a busy week on the interview circuit as he prepares to take the helm at everyone's favorite struggling automaker. And while there's been an understandable focus on how he plans to turn the brand's financial situation around, Espinosa hasn't been shy about his feelings on the products themselves.
'Driving excitement will always be at the heart of Nissan, it's what we do,' Espinosa said in an interview with Top Gear. 'I want to have four or five cars at the top of our portfolio that are really brand-oriented cars; cars that really represent what Nissan is about, that show what the heartbeat of Nissan is.'
The executive further noted that he believes models like the Nissan Patrol, Z, GT-R, and even a potential new sports car could be fundamental to reestablishing the brand enthusiasm once carried by Nissan products. He also noted that these products need to be available globally, which is often not how the brand currently operates.
We might already have a clue as to what the cheaper sports car could be called, as Espinosa told Automotive News that the Silvia nameplate is the one he'd most like to revive from the Nissan catalog.
'I have some options about the cars but you can imagine a future Z, if we ever do a more affordable car which is still in my dream as I've told you, maybe the future GT-R, a future Patrol," he said. "These are for me the cars that really describe what Nissan is about. With this, we keep the dream alive of what driving excitement is'
Espinosa also explained that the brand is looking at future options for the GT-R. The incoming CEO was much more direct with the folks from Automotive News, outright confirming that the GT-R nameplate will continue to exist in the future. That said, the executive-to-be wouldn't speak on what such a car could look like. Nissan previously teased us with the Hyper Force concept, which features an electric dual-motor layout providing the requisite all-wheel drive, as well as solid-state batteries for immense performance potential. The concept is reportedly good for over 1340 horsepower.
'We will continue working on sports cars,' Espinosa told Automotive News. This is part of our DNA. I cannot tell you when and how, but of course, the GT-R name will exist into the future.'
Of course, Nissan has other problems to address before it can start cranking out all-new sports cars. Espinosa acknowledged the brand's struggles with forecasting and volume targets, with some misalignment between management ideas and the reality of the brand's strength globally; the brand is also simply spending too much, he said, and needs to find viable reductions to both fixed and variable costs.
That said, hopefully Espinosa will be exactly the sort of force that Nissan needs to pivot away from its current trajectory. Espinosa himself was inspired to get into the auto industry via his obsession with the Nissan 300ZX as a youth. Fingers crossed that he'll be able to give some young folks the inspiration they need with whatever sports cars Nissan develops during his tenure in the big chair.
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