Nissan 200SX Hybrid-powered Sport Car
May 21, 2008
One of Nissan’s most loved sports cars could soon have a green tinge.
The Nissan 200SX – known globally as the Silvia and discontinued in 2003 – may be revived with an environmentally friendly hybrid engine.
Responding to rising fuel prices and increased environmental awareness Nissan is considering a petrol-electric two-door sports car.
An electric motor would effectively replace the turbo that characterised the sports-oriented 200SX, boosting power and performance while saving fuel.
“People are more sensitive to fuel efficiency [these days],” says Junichi Endo, Nissan’s senior vice president of global marketing.
“A front-engine, rear-drive may appeal still … but it’s important it is still fun to drive. Ideally we would try to hit both fuel economy and driving pleasure.”
Endo says Nissan is investigating the idea of a hybrid-powered sports car and that the chances are “50-50”.
The Nissan executive says it would “all depend on marketability” and whether buyers would accept a hybrid vehicle as a proper sports car to replace a turbocharged vehicle that has at times been Nissan’s performance hero.
Ironically the 200SX – complete with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine – was discontinued because it failed to meet emissions regulations that have since come into force.
Endo says sports cars of the 200SX ilk could eventually be pure electric vehicles as car makers invest more heavily in environmentally friendly powertrains.
“In the very short term, probably a hybrid front-engine, rear-wheel drive [sports car] … would be a good candidate. In the mid term an electric vehicle is a strong candidate we are looking at.”
Nissan is not alone working on hybrid-powered sports cars. Some car makers, particularly those based in Japan, are looking at hybrid propulsion for their next generation sports cars.
Honda was one of the first to confirm it would revive the legend of the CRX with the hybrid-powered CR-Z.
Toyota – the world leader in hybrid vehicles – is also working on performance hybrids for its next breed of environmentally friendly cars.
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