Nissan Silvia resurrected

The Nissan Silvia is back on the agenda.

The vice-president of Nissan Design Europe, Matthew Weaver, has just released a handful of new renders of what could be a precursor to a reborn Nissan Silvia.

As Nissan continues to mine its rich sports car heritage, as seen in the upcoming new-generation Nissan Z with its 1969 Datsun 240Z influences, the Silvia could be next in line.

Weaver’s modern-day take on the Nissan Silvia is based on the first-generation sports car that dates back to 1965, the CSP311 Silvia coupe.

“By redesigning this car for the future, we wanted to pay homage to that heritage. One of the most distinguishable features is the one clean line connecting the upper and lower body,” he said.

“In this version, we accentuated its presence even more by having a clean and sharp cut into the top of the wheel-arches.”

Sporting a tough, squat, micro-muscle-car look, the reimagined Nissan won’t get an evolution of the Silvia’s SR20DET 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine (147kW/265Nm) from 2002. If this car ever sees the light of day, it will almost certainly have an electric motor or two.

“Also keeping in mind the world of the future, we felt the design naturally suited being an electric vehicle,” added Weaver.

No power output has been discussed, but the forthcoming Nissan Ariya includes a hot 290kW/600Nm dual-motor powertrain.

“The key components of an electric vehicle are quite different and they can be packaged differently, compared to an internal combustion engine car,” explained Weaver, noting that the interior wouldn’t be as cramped as most small sporty coupes – a veiled reference to the Toyota 86, if ever we saw one.

“Consequently, the Silvia we’ve re-imagined here would have a larger interior than its exterior dimensions would suggest.

“The Silvia was ahead of its time, in a very quiet, understated way. It has aged very well and would still have its place on the roads today. It’s also a great example of what is expected of a global product – high quality and universally appealing.”

The Nissan Silvia was sold across three generations in Australia but was badged as the Nissan Gazelle (S12) and Nissan 200SX (S14, S15). It has developed a cult following around the world and reviving the nameplate is clearly being considered by the Japanese brand.

What do you reckon, could Nissan revive the Silvia as sporty EV and turn a profit? Have your say in the comments below.