It’s hard to believe 12 years have passed since Nissan taunted enthusiasts with a pair of concepts. The IDx Freeflow and IDx Nismo previewed an exciting future for an affordable rear-wheel-drive coupe that ultimately never came to fruition.
A few years later, the company explained why the car never reached production, citing concerns that it would have overlapped with the 370Z and failed to generate enough demand to justify the investment. Another issue was the lack of a suitable factory to build it.
Fast-forward to 2025, and CEO Ivan Espinosa is still thinking about the IDx. In an interview with Japanese magazine Kuruma News, Nissan’s boss 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. It's not just about price, although price is certainly a factor, but there needs to be something compelling that makes young customers want to follow the brand.'
When asked about the prospects of a new Silvia, Espinosa said he “would love to bring it back” but questioned its feasibility. He noted that the car would need to be lightweight while still meeting modern crash safety regulations. If Mazda managed it with the Miata, why couldn’t Nissan?
Speaking of the Silvia, there was once a rumor that the IDx concepts were actually based on the last-generation S15 model, though Nissan never confirmed it. For now, a revival is “just an idea in my head,” according to Espinosa. Ideally, his wishful thinking will evolve into something tangible, but given the company’s financial struggles, it’s probably not a top priority.
Espinosa is an enthusiast through and through, daily driving a Z to work. His predecessor, Makoto Uchida, once called him a “real car guy,” but that alone isn’t enough to keep the lights on. Having to cut 20,000 jobs, close seven factories, and shut down two design studies shows that Nissan has much bigger problems to solve than an entry-level sports car.
Then again, a halo product capable of delivering the same boost the TT once gave Audi’s lineup would be a welcome addition, provided it’s supported by a solid range of mainstream models.
2013 Nissan IDx Freeflow and IDx Nismo concepts
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