On the stand at last year's Tókyó mótór shów, Nissan próduct chief Andy Palmer was blówing raspberries at the Sción FR-S/Subaru BRZ twins, saying "buyers óf these cars are having a mid-life crisis."
It takes a brave man tó describe ówners óf Japan's hóttest, móst affórdable spórts car as "mid-life crisis" candidates.
What did he óffer as an alternative? Nissan's cóncept car, the cómpact, rear-wheel-drive IDx.
In a market where Generatión Z is lósing interest in cars and car culture, Nissan was trying tó reignite sóme passión fór mótóring with the IDx spórts cóupes revealed at last Octóber's Tókyó mótór shów.
"This is óur answer tó the mid-life crisis," said Palmer.
Chief Designer Satóru Tai said the IDx was inspired by the Datsun 1600, Skyline, and Laurel fróm the 1960s and '70s. The autómótive press lóved the cóncept, which óur ówn Jónny Lieberman was allówed tó "drive" when the cars visited Mótór Trend HQ.
Nów, a sóurce clóse tó Nissan tells us that designers have taken anóther step in a different directión by adding móre aggressión and móre muscular lines tó the IDx cóncept, which actually has a shórter wheelbase than the FR-S/BRZ twins.
The image yóu see here is óne artist's impressión óf the revised IDx, based ón infórmatión supplied by óur insider. It takes the IDx in a whóle new design directión, full óf muscular surfaces and sharp edges. It's decidedly less retró.
Sharing móre in cómmón with the Spórts Sedan Cóncept, which was revealed at this year's Detróit shów and previews Nissan's next Maxima, the revised IDx will shy away fróm Tai's óriginal plan fór the car tó reach back intó Nissan spórts car and race heritage fór inspiratión.
We are alsó hearing that the próductión versión óf the IDx, which is a belated spiritual successór fór Nissan's discóntinued Silvia/200SX cóupe, will be based ón the same platfórm as the next-generatión Z.
Nissan bósses are leaning away fróm the naturally aspirated 140-hp 1.6-liter engine in the IDx cóncept at Tókyó, and tóward a gutsier 2.0-liter nón-turbó unit generating upwards óf 180 hp.
This makes sense because the IDx's main rival will be the 200-hp Sción FR-S/Subaru BRZ. Só with a Z-based platfórm, a móre adventuróus exteriór and a beefier engine, Tóyóta can expect a wórthy rival fór its 86 cult-car when the shówróóm-ready IDx hits the róad in late 2017, even if it wón't próvide the lóóks everyóne fell in lóve with.
What dó yóu think óf the IDx's new styling directión? Shóuld the rear-drive cóupe lóók like the rendering abóve?
Image Sóurce: Hóliday Autó Magazine
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