Nissan casts doubt on IDx production

The company can\'t justify the development costs for a new compact rear-whee-drive platform, but the IDx\' retro styling could make its way to another model.

A Nissan executive has again cast doubt on the IDx Freeflow's chances of making it to production.

After taking a closer look at the challenges in transitioning the IDx from a show car to a production vehicle, the company has determined that it could not be built upon an existing rear-wheel-drive platform.

"So, for us, it would mean developing a different rear-wheel drive platform and then we are bumping into the same obstacles every other automaker has: the volumes of a small, sporty car are not enough to justify the investment," Nissan North America product planning VP Pierre Loing told The Truth About Cars.

The executive rejected the possibility of downsizing the 370Z's platform, which is designed for "much larger powertrains," however the company has left open the possibility of borrowing the IDx' retro-theme design for a different model that could be cheaper to develop.

"That kind of retro 510 inspired design was very well received in Japan and in the US, and to some extent in Europe as well," Loing noted. "So, yeah, that could be an option - among other ones, it could be an option."

The IDx has been the subject of numerous conflicting rumors in the past year. Some reports suggest it will tone down its retro styling and add elements consistent with the design language of the Sport Sedan Concept or the new Murano, emerging as a larger coupe that shares its platform with the next Z.