Nissan Announces Electrified Silvia Sports Car Development

SAUDI ARABIA : After it cancelled the IDx concept due to insufficient demand and high production costs and the transition of the 370Z to the new Z model, the celebrated automaker is not trying to revive the Silvia as a third-performance model to complement the Z and the upcoming electric GT-R.

With its latest announcement, Nissan has fuelled excitement among car enthusiasts, sharing its plan to develop the electrified Silvia sports car. Recently, this development was confirmed by Ivan Espinosa, the vice president of Nissan, during an interview in Abu Dhabi. While he mentioned that the Silvia will be electrified, he didn’t mention whether it will be a battery-electric vehicle or a hybrid one. Nissan is presently focussing on creating a viable solution globally to ensure adequate production scale.

Since Nissan is developing the Silvia as an independent project, without external collaborations, the move reflects its commitment to achieving economies of scale despite the high costs and challenges associated with the niche market.

With this ambitious project, Nissan is all set to address the competitive landscape in the electrified sports car segment. Mazda is currently developing its fifth-generation MX-5 convertible. On the other hand, Honda is bracing up to revive the Prelude with a hybrid engine. Thus, Nissan faces formidable competitors in the industry but expressed its determination to excel independently in this space.

By the end of this decade, the electric version of the Nissan Silvia is likely to hit the market. With this launch, Nissan will position itself as a key player in the future of performance vehicles. This move from the brand marks its strategic focus on expanding its performance lineup while embracing the shift towards electrification.