Report: Nissan Silvia revival possibly in development stage

Right now, there aren’t many options on the market for an affordable, entry-level sports car. While some might argue that 'sporty' sedans from Chinese manufacturers could fit the bill, what most enthusiasts truly want is an affordable, rear-wheel drive coupe that won't break the bank.

Back in the late 90’s, the Nissan Silvia was one of the popular rear-wheel drive platforms people bought. It was a relatively inexpensive way to get an increasingly rare rear-wheel drive coupe, and it looked good. In fact, the Silvia was so popular that old models like the S14 continued to be sold alongside the newer S15 and the iconic R34 GTR in Japan.

In 2002, the Silvia line was discontinued, leaving the 350Z, which later evolved into the 400Z, as Nissan's only rear-wheel-drive coupe for a time. Today, with the GT-R nearing the end of its run, Nissan's Vice-President of Global Product Strategy, Ivan Espinosa, has hinted that the Silvia might be making a comeback.

In a recent interview with Australia's Drive magazine, a senior official confirmed that the new sports car is officially in development. Nissan's Vice-President of Global Product Strategy, Ivan Espinosa, shared the news, stating, "We've been doing some very early upstream exercises of what the architecture could look like."

In terms of propulsion, purists who were expecting an internal combustion-powered Silvia may be disappointed as according to Espinosa, there's a strong chance the new model will embrace some form of electrification. It is not clear yet whether it will be fully electric or a series hybrid like the Kicks e-POWER, but one thing is for sure, it’s not going to run on gasoline alone.

However, Espinosa clarified that the Silvia revival project has not yet been officially greenlit. The challenge, he explained, lies in the shrinking sports car market, though there's still hope that Nissan's leadership will give it the go-ahead.

While the Silvia's return is still several years away, Nissan Philippines Inc. offers a range of performance and passenger vehicles in the meantime, including the Z and the legendary GT-R. You can explore their lineup on AutoDeal.com.ph.