Nissan

Report: Nissan working on Mazda MX-5 rival

August 2, 2011May 21, 2012 Omar Rana Mazda Miata, Mazda MX-5, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Nissan ESFLOW, Nissan ESFLOW Concept, Roadsters, Sports Cars

Rumor has it that Nissan might be back at work to create a Mazda MX-5 competitor. Back in 2008, Nissan had plans for a new rear-wheel drive 200SX but axed the plan for unknown reasons. Now, they may be back at it.

The Nissan Mazda MX-5 competitor was originally going to based off of the current Nissan 370Z with power coming from a 1.6L turbo four good for about 188hp, the same found in the Nissan Juke. Now, the MX-5 competitor would have a new backbone and is most likely going to be get a completely new name. Additionally, the rumor suggests that the new model could go completely electric using updated technology from the Nissan LEAF.

Word also has it though that if the new MX-5 competitor doesn’t go electric, Daimler bosses have signed an agreement to supply Nissan with a new mid-sized platform that could accommodate anything from four-cylinder engines to V8s. If Nissan chooses this route, the new platform would pose as a new backbone for even the new 370Z replacement, Infiniti G37 replacement and the next GT-R.

We won’t know for sure what Nissan has up its sleeve, but the rumor said that we can expect a new model to arrive in 2013 as part of Nissan’s plan to push nearly 52 new cars by 2016.