Nissan has stated that it plans to make an entry-level sports car that could rival the likes of the Toyota GR86/Subaru BR-Z.

While the brand already has two sports cars at its disposal, namely the Nissan Z and the legendary R35 GT-R, these are typically out of reach for most younger buyers.

The plans come from an interview with Top Gear UK, where Nissan senior vice president of global product planning Ivan Espinosa said he has a dream plan for the Japanese automaker to introduce an all-new model that would slow below the Nissan GT-R.

”I think car manufacturers – in general – have forgotten about the passion for cars,” he told the British automotive outlet. “It depends on the country, but you can see that young customers are less and less attracted to cars.” he continued. 

Competing in the entry-level sports car segment

The new sports car could spruce up the brand’s sports car lineup as the GT-R is already an aging model and has been around since 2007, while the Nissan Z is also expensive.

The new “affordable” entry-level sports car could also be a way to boost the Japanese automaker’s image by bringing back the beloved Silvia nameplate that has been off the market for over 21 years. 

However, don’t get your hopes up just yet, as Nissan’s VP of product planning has not explicitly mentioned that the new sports car would be a traditional 2-seater or a hot hatchback.

“I’m not sure about a hot hatch, but maybe a smaller electric sportscar you could think of," he said. "Something smaller, a bit more affordable. Definitely."

“Depending on which point in time you take, we’ve always had the GT-R, we’ve always had Z, and we’ve always had an entry (level car) – either a hot hatch like Pulsar GTi-R or something else down there (at that price and performance point),” he continued. 

For now, it's a guessing game as to what Nissan will have in store for its reportedly upcoming sports car. There are very few details to go on and, in the age of electrification, that future model may come as a hybrid or a full-on electric vehicle. 

What do you think the Nissan Silvia should be like if it's revived?

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