Nissan is readying a small, rear-wheel drive replacement for the 240SX, but a new report indicates the new sports car could be just as green as it is fun to drive. Nissan officials are reportedly strongly considering a gasoline-hybrid powertrain for the next Silvia.
According to an interview with Australia’s Drive.com, Junichi Endo, Nissan’s senior vice president of global marketing, says the car has a “50-50″ shot of being produced with a hybrid powertrain.
“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,†he said.
The decisions will hinge on whether Nissan thinks it can market a hybrid as a true sports car. The extra power of an electric motor could actually replace the performance of a turbo, but it remains unclear if Nissan would be able to market the car as both sporty and environmentally friendly. As of now, the two categories are mutually exclusive (see the Honda Accord Hybrid).
If the hybrid powertrain ultimately gets the green light, a pure electric version will likely soon follow. With stricter regulations worldwide, Endo says an electric version would be a natural progression. “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,†he told Drive.
Honda has already announced that it will produce a hybrid sports car — the CR-Z — which will largely follow in the footsteps of the well-loved CRX .
