Nissan seriously considering 200SX / 240SX / Silvia replacement

[nadepalma]

SOURCE: http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/15/n...a-replacement/

Nissan seriously considering 200SX / 240SX / Silvia replacement




Call it the Silvia or the 240SX or the 200SX (read up on the various names of the 200SX and where they were sold in the world here), but Nissan's now demised budget rear-wheel drive platform has been sorely missed in its homeland of Japan, in our own North America and elsewhere around the world. Word has it, however, that Nissan is considering a new rear-wheel drive coupe that would take up the 200SX cause of rear-wheel drive fun for the huddled masses. The Foria Concept (shown above) that debuted ......
THE ABOVE CITED AUTOCAR AS THE SOURCE -- BELOW:

Originally Posted by AutoCar-UK

SOURCE: http://www.autocar.co.uk/news_article.asp?na_id=223623

Remember the Nissan Foria? This was the stylish, Italianate rear-drive concept coupe that Nissan produced for the 2005 Tokyo motor show. With a curvaceous, long nose profile and a designer leather-trimmed cabin, plus rear suicide doors, the Foria got strong reviews at the show. It could, if made, become an upmarket successor to the 200SX - and the word in Japan is that it could be closer to production than many expected.

Inside Nissan, studies are still going on whether to produce the Foria, or something like it. Back at the 2005 Detroit show, Nissan also showed the Urge, a stripped-down, three-seat sports concept with an Xbox 360 in the boot, and again this was rear-drive.

Autocar understands there is still a gap in Nissan's new model programme after 2010 for a car to fit the Foria/Urge slot; a car that could also theoretically dovetail with the 350Z, in the mould of the much-loved and much-missed 200SX, doyen of Japan's late night drifting tribe. Nissan, however, is taking a blue sky approach to this project and has also investigated the possibility of producing a mid-engined car for this slot in the range.

For now, though, the Foria remains a strong candidate and was shown again this week when media toured Nissan's impressive new global design studio in Atsugi, Japan. Don't bet against it turning up at a showroom near you at the turn of the decade.

[nadepalma]

Okay, I know this isn't really GMI news so to speak, but the reason I posted it has less to do with the Nissan brand as it does about Infiniti (at least to some extent).

While the news of a 240SX/200SX would make any car enthusiast happy, a few years back I read an article by Nissan NA's chief saying that they were studying the "entry-level" market in the US. Since Infiniti killed the G20, they thought they lost some volume (overall) and younger clientel. As such they were looking for a "cheaper" vehicle to fill that nice and compete with the 9-3/TSX/et al. in size and price and content.

They article said they heared of rumblings of a "C25" or some such vehicle to fill that void, possibly derived from the "next Sentra" (this was a few years back) but looking at other alternatives like bringing a version of the next Pulsar to the US as a Infiniti, etc.

Well a few years later and we see this. Could Infiniti have designs on the lower/mid-20K market with something like this? Could it be that they will make a coupe or sedan or shooting-break type product to compete with a future 1-Series/A3/C30/9-1/BLS/Etc?

All very plausible obviously -- but thought to point out what kind of possible consequences it may hold for Saab/Caddy and the rest of the field.

Not to mention Pontiac's own lineup as well. We're hearing grumblings of a Solstice Coupe and maybe down the line an expanding RWD lineup. Could this possibly be in anticipation of that? And a few months back the designers at Mazda said they were possibly looking at a "cheap" RWD compact to sell in moderate volumes that would start in the teens. Is Nissan trying to catch Mazda as well? This is all possible I suppose, but it's interesting to speculate.

Just thinking out loud.

[Butz]

So this is Nissan's response to the success of the Kappa's, this will only make things more intersting, since in a way the Silvia introduced the whole concept of a light-weight, affordable, RWD car.

[lol internet]

Not sure if I'm completely certain I like the styling... but it could be huge nonetheless. Small, inexpensive, somewhat-practical RWD? I'd say there's a market for it...

[monza164]

I think the Silvia is my favorite Japanese car. Cheap, RWD, and it looks pretty slick too (not the car pictured above). Maybe a new market for Pontiac's new rwd cars is developing.

[Quickening]

That looks like a Saab concept that someone chopped.

Now that I look at that, thats certainly a Saab concept..and they also tacked on the side vents of the Antara/VUE thing on.

[GM-Joe]

I respect import car makers when they put something out decent. Toyoda has not since the Supra. But I see a need for a Ford Probe sized rear-drive, though not necessarily a tiny convertible.

Does anyone know where the Silvia name comes from. I kind of like some of those names, though a little feminine? I do know the Fairlady was named after the mid-60's appropriately named musical.

[killerrd2]

I think there's a definite market for this vehicle, like any Kappa derivative.

Hopefully GM will get the other Kappas to market BEFORE the rest of the automotive world jumps onboard the small RWD bandwagon.

Cheers.

[atomicshark]

Originally Posted by Quickening

That looks like a Saab concept that someone chopped.

Now that I look at that, thats certainly a Saab concept..and they also tacked on the side vents of the Antara/VUE thing on.

Nope, that is a real concept Nissan launched last year. It is called the Foria.

Personally I like the idea, but I don't like the looks.

I would love for Nissan to bring back the 200SX or 240SX. I loved my old RWD 200SXs. They need to make them 2+2 and sporty like the old 89-94 240SX. No more dumpy designs like the last FWD 200SX.

[throwback]

I am glad to see rear drive coming back to mainstream cars. Although I currently drive a FWD car, there is nothing quite like driving a well balanced rear driver.

[usa1]

Oooo... that's ugly.

Mark

[Slideways]

I can't believe that they miss the G20, that thing was a 21st century Cimarron, what a joke. Now the Silvia, that's another story. Several generations of them were great looking cars, the Floria wouldn't do them justice.

[mbukukanyau]

Thats a chop of this Saturn
Actually, they just copied the design without Shame! With some Saab Aero Concept elements

[kenman923]

Could this be the return of the 200SX to the U.S.?

[geozinger]

Another blue-sky concept car and PR release to go with it.

Just like the car that never was/will be (in NA)...

...the Skyline.

Nissan has nothing new to say, so they have this PR release.

Skyline, Silvia, XboxCube, ToiletStall, whatever.

Talk to me when it's on the ground here in North America.

</sarcasm>