Anyone recall the Nissan IDx? A retro small coupe introduced back in 2013 at the Tokyo Motor Show which would eventually be Nissan’s answer to the Toyota 86 and Mazda MX-5. Some even went on to call it the true successor of tail-happy Silvia S16. Sadly though, Nissan chose to call it off.
According to AutoExpress, the main reason behind the decision is cost. Nissan said, in order to develop an entirely new platform for the IDx, the company will have to allocate an unjustifiable size of fund to make it happen. It’s not that they’re short on RWD platforms, no, because the 370Z and GT-R are all front-engined but rear-wheel driven. However, the devil is in the details. Both the cars run on heavy, huge V6 engines, which is completely the opposite of what the IDx is supposed to be.
Even if they did manage to pull it off, Nissan would be banking on a huge risk – the sales volume of the IDx will undoubtedly be small, and a sports car of its kin won’t be able to justify the investment. So the game they’re playing now is to soldier on with the GT-R and Z-series sports cars, although it’s unclear at this point if this includes the development of an entirely new model.
We know it’s disappointing, so let’s put things into perspective. Creating a small affordable coupe is a risky affair, seeing how Toyota and Subaru are struggling with the declining of sales for the 86 and BRZ models. Mazda meanwhile, banked on their iconic MX-5 to produce healthy sales figures, and went on to introduce the MX-5 RF hardtop that should deepen its pool of customers.
Presently in Malaysia, the only sporty Nissan model from its principal, Edaran Tan Chong Motor, is the Almera with the RM13,000 Nismo Performance Package.
[Source: Auto Express]
