New Nissan Boss Wants A Halo Car In All The Important Segments

It’s amazing what a difference a day makes, or in the case of Nissan, a few days and a new CEO. Outgoing CEO Makoto Uchida warned of dire issues within the company, and despite his best efforts, he had to go.

Now, with Ivan Espinosa in charge, although Nissan still needs outside help, the company now seems to be radiating positivity. So much so, in fact, that Espinosa has already begun to float the idea of multiple halo vehicles beyond the obvious GT-R, as reported by Top Gear.

“I want to have four or five cars at the top of our portfolio that are really brand-oriented cars; cars that represent what Nissan is about, that show what the heartbeat of Nissan is,” Espinosa told the publication, notably adding, “These cars should go everywhere in the world.”

What Kinds Of Cars We Can Expect

The CEO Has already discussed how a GT-R will return at some stage, and it’s possible that a Silvia may return too, while the Nissan Z should live on and eventually get a successor. Those are obvious, but Espinosa seems to want these and more to be available worldwide, including the hot-selling Nissan Patrol SUV that is so popular in the Middle East.

“For me, the product is the brand, and if you really want to position the brand strongly, you need to be a bit more disciplined in this [globalization of models]. This is one of the things I want to implement,” Espinosa tells TG.

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Espinosa is aware that shifting global legislation can make things “difficult,” but he sees a light on the horizon, noting that “as the regulations start converging into more electrified powertrains, it might be easier to do this.” He likens the current situation for product planners to simultaneously playing chess on three different boards, with regulations, various tariffs, and diverging market demands making things difficult, but still expects to make progress with producing universal cars soon.

This is where a partner like Honda could help.

Honda Isn’t Nissan’s Only Hope, But Potentially Its Best

Honda has the financial and engineering might to make Nissan a success again, though this might come at the cost of a purely Nissan product feel. But Honda isn’t the only way that Nissan can start diversifying its range.

Nissan has close ties with Renault, which in turn is related to Alpine, and it has a slew of vehicles prepared for American invasion that Nissan may be able to take advantage of here.

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Over in Europe, vehicles like the new Renault Turbo could potentially also be exploited. On a more domestic note, Nissan also has its upcoming Leaf and Xterra among others, which could get the Nismo treatment.

Of course, what the CEO wants to do and what any future partnerships allow may be two different things, and with a short timeline to turn things around, Nissan can’t be too ambitious. But things are certainly looking up, and we hope to see Nissan radiate positivity for decades to come.

Source: Top Gear