--- title: "Nissan Exec Wants an Electrified Silvia That Could Battle GR86, BRZ, and Miata" description: "Recent comments from Nissan exec Ivan Espinosa make it clear that there's a desire for an entry-level, electrified Silvia to join the Z and GT-R." date: "2024-09-05" modified: "2024-09-05" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/nissan-exec-wants-an-electrified-silvia-that-could-battle-gr86-brz-and-miata" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Nissan News" tags: - "Coupe" - "GT-R" - "Nissan" - "Nissan Z" - "sports car" --- # Nissan Exec Wants an Electrified Silvia That Could Battle GR86, BRZ, and Miata ![Front three-quarter image of an S15 Nissan Silvia with a quote from a Nissan executive behind it, saying "Now, will we do it? I'm trying."]() *\Nissan\* At the moment, [Nissan]() has two sports cars: the [GT-R]() and the [Z](). The former is positioned at the high end of the market [and departing it soon](), while the latter sits somewhere in the middle. However, according to Nissan's Vice President of Global Product Strategy Ivan Espinosa, the brand is trying to add a third, entry-level sports car to the mix—and it may bear the Silvia name. "But I'm trying, as I said and I keep saying it in my brain, three sports cars in my line-up, a GT-R, a Z, and something else. And this something else in my brain is called the Silvia. Now, will we do it? I'm trying," Espinosa told Australian media in Abu Dhabi, according to *[Drive]()*. If Espinosa's dreams of a new [Mazda MX-5]()-fighting Silvia become a reality, it will have at least some form of electrification. While Espinosa wouldn't commit to either a hybrid or a battery-electric vehicle (BEV), he was clear that this mythical coupe wouldn't be purely piston-powered. Thankfully, regardless of its powertrain, if a Silvia does get the green light it will be a global car—one that will likely come to North America. "You need to find something that can work globally in order to have enough scale," he said. ![]() **Nissan** He also suggested that, whatever the Silvia ends up being, it would have its own in-house-developed architecture and he'd prefer Nissan didn't join forces with any other automaker to build it, as Toyota did with the [Supra]() and [GR86](). "I, personally, I don't know what the company will do, but I will personally advocate to not \[partner with another brand\]," Espinosa said. "Not on these kinds of cars and also because it's one of the things that Nissan can do very well." If Nissan does revive the Silvia, I hope it keeps its true name in the United States. The last two generations of Silvia that were sold here, the S13 and S14, wore the 240SX nameplate. And while that moniker does have significance to American buyers, the Silvia name wouldn't just have Nissan fans drooling—it's also much cooler. The bad news is that none of this is happening anytime soon, if it even happens at all. "I'm trying to make it work, I'm trying to make it happen," he said. "It's not an easy case. It's not easy because the sports cars market is shrinking." And even if Espinosa's dreams come true, the new Silvia likely couldn't bow until the end of the decade at the earliest. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()