Nissan is considering reintroducing a sports car lineup, according to an executive.

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      It's been an exciting week for Nissan fans, and we're only partway through. In February, Nissan's new CEO Ivan Espinosa told The Drive, “Nissan is back.” While words alone aren't enough, proof lies in the products themselves. Now just a year into his tenure, Espinosa and his mostly enthusiast executive team appear to be working as swiftly as possible to realize that bold claim.

      On Thursday in Japan, Richard Candler, who oversees Nissan’s global corporate product strategy, shared with The Drive, “We are re-examining the sports car lineup. We all want to create some exciting vehicles.”

      Candler mentioned that his first car was a Silvia, purchased in the UK, his home country. “I would love to revive that nameplate. It holds significant value. You saw yesterday’s announcement about Skyline — it's been a key passion project for us, and we're very happy with the positive response so far. The Z is also strong; it’s a solid product. With the Z and Skyline, we’re in a position to rebuild a great lineup. I believe there’s still room for Silvia, and we'd like to pursue that,” Candler stated.

      He added, “We need to find the right approach because price accessibility is crucial for that vehicle. We have to determine the right market position. Additionally, we have some fantastic names in the sports car lineup that we aim to further develop.”

      These thoughts on sports cars resonate with Espinosa, who mentioned to The Drive on Tuesday, “Sports cars are central to our identity as a company.”

      However, both executives are aware of the challenges ahead. Nissan is facing difficulties and is currently undergoing a significant restructuring plan that will reduce its product lineup from 56 to 45 models. The strategy involves concentrating 80% of the product development on three primary vehicle families. One of these families is the new frame-based lineup, which is being highlighted by the relaunch of the Xterra. On Tuesday, Nissan Americas Chairman Christian Meunier hinted at the Xterra's return, declaring that “badass is back.”

      Candler remarked, “But, you know, it’s a step-by-step process. My goal with the portfolio is to carve out some space by phasing out lower-performing vehicles. We will reduce our lineup a bit and discontinue some models that you likely won't even notice, then reinvest those resources into a few passion projects.”

      “It’s essential to reflect and analyze what has worked and what hasn’t,” Candler noted.

      He explained the rationale by stating, “All those cars we plan to discontinue cost the company money to maintain, ensure compliance with the latest regulations, and keep them operational. They consume valuable resources. We could eliminate those without a significant business impact and redirect funds towards projects like the Silvia, or even explore something smaller. Personally, I’m also keen to find an option that’s even more compact.”

      You know what was smaller than the Silvia and deserved to be produced? The IDX and IDX Nismo concepts. Having the IDX and Silvia positioned below the Z and GT-R would create a delightful sports car lineup.

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