Nissan’s new CEO Ivan Espinosa has promised that “the thrill of driving will always be at the heart” of the company, hinting that halo cars like the Z and GT-R will remain a key part of the brand’s future and will be offered worldwide.
Asked about the importance of sports cars to Nissan, Espinosa said: “The thrill of driving will always be at the heart of Nissan. That’s what we do. There are many, many ways to explain and show the world what that means, from the Model Z, which is affordable and fun to drive, to the GT-R, or even the Patrol [SUV]. This is definitely going to stay. I want to have four or five cars at the top of our portfolio, cars that really represent what Nissan is all about and that show what the heart of Nissan is. And these cars should be offered everywhere in the world.”
“We’re keeping the dream alive of what driving excitement is all about. We’re going to invest in those models. Vehicles are the heart of Nissan – and that includes sports cars, for which we have very exciting plans.”
Nissan revealed the Hyper Force concept (pictured) in 2023, but Espinosa previously told Autocar that such a car would have to wait until electric car technology was ready. Asked if the company had made any progress on that, Espinosa said the current electrification transition was making things “difficult,” but “in a few years, maybe it will be easier to do it. That’s what I would dream of doing.”
