Ever since Toyota first announced its new GT 86 sports car, not only have car enthusiasts anxiously awaited its release, but competitors have kept a watchful eye on it as well.
Case in point, if there's any name in tuner culture that resonates as strongly as Hachi-Roku, it'll have to be Silvia. Naturally, many industry observers raised the possibility of a return of the Nissan Silvia if the GT 86 proves itself a commercial success.
An affordable, lightweight, bare-bone sports car much in the same vein as GT 86's heritage, the Nissan Silvia earned an incredible cult following for its balanced chassis and its ability to go sideways. As drift culture continued to expand, the Silvia's near-fool-proof handling earned it the infamous title "cheater chassis" in drifting circles.
During a local Nissan Leaf media event, Australian auto site The Motor Report spoke to Nissan Deputy Division General Manager of Product Strategy and Product Planning Francois Bancon for the latest on the revival of the popular sports car. Unfortunately, the conversation would reveal that the Nissan Silvia idea has been canned. "The Silvia was popular in Japan, but in terms of business, it was a disaster," Mr Bancon told TMR.
Rather than introduce a secondary front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car, Bancon sees a lighter, more nimble, smaller displacement, next-generation Nissan Z repositioned to start at a lower price range for better accessibility.
"We have to renew the Z soon, and maybe we should think about making the Z a little bit more, let's say, what the Z used to be, like the first-generation Z," he said.
"It's an iconic car in our lineup, so to renew the Z might be the opportunity to make it a little bit more accessible, a bit lighter. "A little bit more fun, as opposed to luxurious."
While its a shame to not be able to witness the return of the Silvia moniker, we do like the idea of where the Z is heading. With the current Nissan 370Z starting at $32,280, there's a measurable $7,350 void between it and the affordable Scion FR-S that must be addressed.
