--- title: "Nissan Announces Huge Turnaround Plan To Cut Models and Keep the Good Stuff" date: "2026-04-13" modified: "2026-04-13" authors: - name: "Joel Feder" job_title: "Director of Content and Product" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/joel-feder" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/nissan-announces-huge-turnaround-plan-to-cut-models-and-keep-the-good-stuff" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Nissan News" --- # Nissan Announces Huge Turnaround Plan To Cut Models and Keep the Good Stuff ![]() *\Nissan\* ## Key Takeaways - **Nissan to cut model lineup from 56 to 45.** The focus will be on eliminating low-performing models while preserving iconic ones like the Z and GT-R. - **New vehicle families to streamline production.** Models will be grouped into Heartbeat, Core, Growth, and Partner families to share costs and resources. - **AI technology to be integrated into 90% of lineup.** Nissan plans to embed AI in driver assistance and vehicle controls, starting with the Elgrand in Japan. - **Focus on key markets: U.S., Japan, and China.** Nissan aims for sustained growth, targeting 1 million units annually in the U.S. by 2030. - **Next-gen GT-R and Z models confirmed.** The GT-R will become a hybrid by 2030, with development on the next-gen Z to follow. **Bottom line:** Nissan's strategic plan involves cutting low-performing models, focusing on key markets, and integrating AI across its lineup, aiming for significant growth by 2030. Iconic models like the GT-R and Z will remain central to its identity. It's been a just over two months since Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa told [*The Drive* that "Nissan is back"]() after... well, let's just call the last 8 years a rough patch. Tonight, the Japanese automaker is laying out its case with a new long-term strategic plan for Nissan and Infiniti that calls for streamlining and refocusing its product lineup, bucketing models into families for shared costs, and implementing next-gen technology (yeah, including AI) into its vehicles. ## Streamlined lineup The lineup itself, which Nissan says stands at 56 models today, will be cut down to 45 models in the future. Models that will be cut? “Low-performing models,” but don’t expect to see the Z or GT-R nameplates going anywhere. Those will be protected by a new structure that buckets vehicles into four "families": Heartbeat, Core, Growth, and Partner. Heartbeat models will be those that embody Nissan's ideals for its identity and emotion. In other words, stuff that gets your ticker going. If the Z and GT-R don’t do that, then water isn’t wet. Plus, Ponz Pandikuthira told *The Drive* [the next-gen GT-R will be a hybrid]() that keeps the VR38’s block and arrive by 2030, then [work on the next-gen Z will begin](). Those icons are safe. The new Xterra is also in the Heartbeat group as it aims at the hot off-road market to steal sales from the Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, and Toyota 4Runner. So is the just-announced next-generation Nissan Skyline sedan, which in U.S. we know as the Infiniti Q50 and very well could be the base of Infiniti's next sedan. ![]() *Core lineup* ![]() *Growth lineup* ![]() *Partner lineup* Core models are meant to sustain global business at scale with stability. The definition of that would be the Rogue, or as other markets know it, the X-Trail. It will be getting Nissan’s e-Power hybrid system, which is a series hybrid that uses the gas engine as a generator to power a battery pack that powers electric motors driving the wheels. Then growth models are aimed at expanding Nissan’s market share. A new Juke, which won’t come to the U.S., is an example for the European market. Partner models are said to extend Nisan’s market coverage through collaboration, though the automaker didn’t expand on this. The [upcoming Mitsubishi Montero](), which is really a reskinned Armada, could easily be classified as this parter model as it’ll give Nissan extra production volume that it doesn’t need to sell at the retail level. The upcoming product portfolio will be grouped into families of vehicles with shared powertrains and platforms along with software. Three families of vehicles, one being frame-based vehicles, is said to account for up to 80% of Nissan’s volume going forward with only 20% of product falling outside these three families. That 20% will likely include the Z and GT-R, among other models. Nissan said it will refine its market focus to the U.S., Japan, and China. Notably, Europe was not on the list of key markets. Sustained growth is expected to carry the automaker to 1 million units per year by 2030 in the U.S. market, according to Nissan. That would be a sales increase of 7.97% given Nissan sold 926,153 vehicles in the U.S. in 2025. ## AI for all Nissan said AI-driven intelligence embedded in its vehicles is core to the automaker’s future vision. AI will be utilized both in advanced driver assistance systems as well as vehicle controls. An LLM partner has not named, but today’s Nissan’s already have Google built-in to their infotainment systems. Nissan is aiming to have AI technology in 90% of its lineup over the long term, but a timeline was not provided for the rollout. The first model to debut the AI-embedded technology will be a Japanese-market Elgrand this summer with the automaker’s next-generation ProPilot hands-free driver-assist system with end-to-end self-driving capabilities said to be ready by the end of fiscal year 2027. Nissan did not provide concrete timelines for the next product lineup. *Got a tip about future product? Send us a line at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Overseeing what you see, read, touch, hear, and interact with from the vast lakes of Minnesota, Joel Feder shapes how The Drive looks and operates as the head of content and product initiatives. On a daily basis, Joel leads the newsroom and editorial staff playing point on both short-term coverage and long-term strategic plans. His mission is to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media by helping the team execute original reporting, breaking news, and exclusive opportunities. Regarded as an industry insider and recognized by colleagues, fellow journalists, and manufacturers as a point-person and leader in the industry, Joel owns and runs the largest automotive professionals group on Facebook in an effort to serve and help others. Joel serves as a juror for the World Car Awards. In addition, he is the board chair and chair of the governance and nominating committee for Move Forward MN, a local non-profit that helps at-risk youth with barrier-free mental health and housing services. While you’re reading this he’s either on his computer or iPhone chasing the latest news or drafting a story. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() [Bluesky]() [Email]()