Nissan's Biggest Mistake
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- čas přidán 7. 08. 2024
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SOURCES
www.barchetta.co/nissan-idx-sources
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 INTRO
1:37 DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
4:27 DESIGN OVERVIEW
10:34 CONFIRMED FOR PRODUCTION
12:18 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TOUR
15:00 DEVELOPMENT TROUBLES
19:11 REASONS WHY IT DIDN'T MAKE IT
The IDx cars were the product of a new development philosophy. Nissan brought in outside help. Not from outside of the company, but from outside of the industry. Designers consulted with 100 “digital nomads”, or individuals born after the year 1990. On the surface, this doesn’t seem out of the ordinary. Car companies often take the public’s opinion into account. They also dedicate time and resources toward conducting surveys and market research. Still, car development is a relatively insular process. Feedback clinics focus on gauging how car buyers react to something that a company has already worked on. Oftentimes they do not influence it on a fundamental level. Nissan’s approach, which it referred to as co-development, brought the public in from the outset.
The Freeflow was envisioned as a lifestyle vehicle. Outright performance took a backseat to a retro aesthetic. Take note of the rounded quad headlamps, light two-tone color scheme, fender wings, and thin bar grille. The chrome-swathed lower front clip is intended to reference bumpers on cars from the 60s and 70s. It also changes up the pace, breaking up the gray expanse and giving us something different to look at.
The Nismo is the Freeflow’s sporty, modern sibling. Contrast is the name of the game here. The white and flax color scheme has been swapped for a black and white one. The darkened hood, roof, and trunk emphasize the car’s width. Red accents up front and on the rails also pop that much more. The Freeflow’s retro bar grille has also been replaced with a mesh one that would likely increase engine cooling. The lights, which are comprised of two LEDs wedged inside of a larger DRL, reference older cars without being too on the nose. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Felt like nissan was like, "see we can still design things you want......be we just dont wanna"
The Americans have been doing that for decades
@RomanJockMCO for sure, remember that dodge demon concept car? Or that dodge slingshot concept?
@@Fyxxterzc I'm old enough to remember the Buick Questor and Wildcat and the Corvette Indy from the 80s. The 1986 Nissan CUE-X did become the original Q45, however.
@RomanJockMCO Japan is crazy with it though, this new Datsun 510, the new rx7, new mr2, a BMW supra, the pedestrian STI, see what they did to the Integra. Now for the US, dropping Pontiac but keeping Buick around seemed wild to me. Marketing wise Buick was out of the newer generations minds. Pontiac had the gto, firebird, and grand prix . Most under 40 don't know Buick.
have you seen an Infiniti SUV lately?! looks like a giant clown shoe
The IDx is often referred to as “The greatest Nissan that never was.”
I was so disappointed by this I sold my Z and S14, and bought a FRS. I now I have a fleet of Toyotas and have never looked back. They showed us what we wanted it, then murdered it in front of us. Biggest FU to the fans ever.
I used to think they made a mistake but I have noticed in the last 10 years or so that young people in my neck of the woods just don’t seem to care about cars anymore.
I never see FRS/86/BRZs on the road only CUV/SUVs and 4 door economy cars.
As nice as that little coupe was it would never have sold enough to earn its keep.
@@alexscott9195 i cant tell you how many times I’ve heard an FRS owner say they were looking to buy the IDx first.
@@josebrown5961 outside of the US it would have sold like hot cakes.
@@Torresmeza9Well when it was made I hated it. I was young and stupid then, I just loved the Z. A boxey little rear drive coupe didn’t attract me then.
Like I said, I was stupid because now I would love one.
The fact that it still looks like it could come out today without looking outdated just amazes me. This doesn't feel like a concept design, more like a timeless one.
😂
yeah its as ugly as everything else jeez
Such a crime that Nissan chose to keep reheating the GTR for another 10 years instead of taking the risk and bringing this concept to production.
FACTS👊🏾
Gtr is such a low production car and the 370z was a walking zombie in terms of production numbers. Bs excuse from that “Nissan employee” saying they had no where to build the car
they don't have the money tbh
Tbh it wouldn't sell. That be the unfortunate truth. People want practical not art pieces out of mazda. They go to a different brand for art pieces.
@@Electronica27FACTS💯
I hate to agree but “car guys” are not being made anymore. I don’t have kids but I do have a niece and 2 godchildren, none of them like sporty cars. My godson didn’t get his license till he was two weeks from going off to college! When he turned 16 I offered to give him a 2010 Honda Accord Coupe and he said no thanks.
I just gave up.
The Idx was the positive path forward for Nissan, but they went in a negative direction.
Imagine if Nissan made the Idx and then spun off a sedan, wagon. suv, and maybe even a truck from the same platform.
Exactly my thoughts.
OG Datsun vibes
OMG I would've spent 6 figures to get the entire collection!!!
No shot they thought the juke was a competitor to the 86/brz
I hate to say this but yes Nissan genuinely thought so
@@eroticgrimreaper1086it got recaros! What more do you want??? -Nissan
I still can't tell if the Juke is ugly or awkward.
@@julianmorgan79a bit of both, it is really fun to drive though.
Goddamit…they knew we wanted sporty simple and authentic, even had all the feedback compiled and summarized, and yet “here’s the Juke, complete opposite of what you asked for, hope you like it!”
I was less upset not knowing why they canned it but dammit they made a choice here
One word....
Renault
That's what I can't wrap my head around. NOBODY LIKES THE FRICKIN JUKE! It's a soulless, shapeless, androgynous lump of automotive nihilism and spiritual relativism. It's design by committee. It's a hateful car built for no one in particular. They could have reached for greatness. It wouldn't have been that hard to do!
I remember when these came out, so much buzz, had some friends swearing they would buy them. Unfortunately, for all the reasons discussed, Nissan dropped the ball here, completely lost opportunity.
I was gonna go into debt to buy one! Thankfully they did not release it, else I would have.
Make a lightweight RWD inexpensive car that handles really good, and give it a MANUAL TRANSMISSION.
Nah, here's a "sporty" CVT. I think those two words should be mutually exclusive.
Very rarely does a concept appeal to both young and old. This would have been an instant classic, something you can really put your own style into.
They could build this today and it would be a success. Timeless.
The sad thing is, when you referenced AMC (American Motors Corporation), they actually were one of the more innovative car companies in the "analog" car era. Cars like the AMC AMX/3, the creepy looking Gremlin, the surprisingly successful AMC Pacer, and arguably the very first Sport/Crossover Vehicle, the 4WD AMC Eagle SX/4. All of these vehicles like the Nissan IDx were "out of the box" thinking. All have a niche audience, but an audience nonetheless.
The IDx Nismo has a BMW E9 3.0 CSL (Batmobile) vibe without the massive investment to either purchase one, or build your own from a BMW M3. A race/rally inspired look with high performance, good gas mileage, and a decent entry price would have made this car a legend. Nissan is notorious for making cars well ahead of their time and not deciding to build them. One more in the list, I suggest you Google the Nissan MID4 Concept that was destined to be become an NSX killer. They dropped the ball on that too.
it was even presented on Jay Leno's YT channel and i thought they're really going to release it.
I saw them at the NAIAS, and I WANTED it. Especially the NISMO. The show car had an SR20 in it.
my god that would've been so cool
Dealer markup would make that cost as much as the gtr anyway
True 😂
Subaru is notorious for boring production models based on inspiring and crowd pleasing concepts. Nissan just learned from them.
Man still feel like they could drop it anytime soon
They could have joined forces with Mazda and used the MX5 platform for it or just went all EV on it instead, using Leaf components to save money.
The Forza Horizon 2 game on X-Box had the Nissan IDx NISMO concept as one you could drive and I believe modify. It was awesome to drive and the engine sounded incredible. A lost opportunity not to green light it.
And then they criminally implicate the CEO solely responsible for saving the company. Keep it classy, Nissan
Not only that but their stock has only fallen and they are worth less the half what they used to be under Carlos
They still look modern today. They would sell like cheeseburgers. Far better design than the GTR Hyper force.
It’s about the “Lost Decades” of Japan. The country has never recovered from their financial collapse in the 90’s. Since cool toys usually have weak business cases, Japan mostly makes concepts.
This could be the modern classic... but never will.
That 510 design was awesome
Nissan is dead to me since they did not make it....but I do daily drive a 1998 Nissan Sentra 5 speed manual....the only way they will get back my support is if they build it.
I was telling my son about this car today, one of my most frustrating memories as a Datsun guy. I have a 510 and a 280z. I have no faith they will create it. Also, I know it may be blasphemy, but, as a FWD car the iDX would have been fun, like an original Sentra SE-R.
IDX, Code 130R, and S-FR, which I had high expectations for, were never released.
I bought a 68 bug.
Well done. Almost limitless on what you can do with a beetle. Friend of mine dropped a built type 4 in his beetle. 280 at the wheels.... Insane!
The problem is retooling, logistics, and inventory! Yes they can make this car, but it requires retooling which is a huge change! You need to get rid of the sentra, but it shares so much parts commonality with the Altima with engines, transmission, chasiis, and many other components and that may drive up costs for the company. You will see how this is reflected in other manufacturers as well! If Nissan builds this it may even creep into the consumer base of the Z in pricing, style, and preference of everyday use! Look at what happened at Toyota with the free bra or the supra, that took the assistance of an additional manufacturers like Subaru and BMW! It also made the pricing high as well this is very problematic to keeping costs down!
I don’t need one but I damn sure would have bought one. They fumbled big time on this.
bruhhhh you got my hopes up in that thumbnail, i'll forever be pissed that the idx was canned, but for some reason we need 4 nissan sedans.
Barchetta is definitely a thinking car person’s YT channel!👍👍👍
This guy said Nissan didn’t dive into the retro wave like the figaro didn’t even exist. They started it 😤😤😤😤
That was Japan-only. But again, incels like you don't even remember African and South American car markets, and wonder why Toyota refuses to go full electric.
Also, you missed the part where the narrator tells 21st century. 1989 was in the 20th century.
Japanese automakers since the 80s have released classic styled cars and trims only for the Japanese market, so that does not count.
Nissan casually drops one of the best looking cars in the decade and proceeds to go "nah, not selling"
instead of building this they built nothing, and are in an isuzu/mitsubishi type death spiral as a brand, good job nissan.
The later part of this documentary reminds me of an important lesson I learned when dealing with Japanese business culture. Japanese executive don't like saying, "no," to a proposal among other executives. It's considered rather rude. So they give various excuses about delays or possible complications when they actually mean, "no." If your proposal isn't given a definitive, "yes," it's not gonna happen. When the IDX stopped getting, "yes," as the definitive answer for production, it was already dead. Folks just forget how the Japanese corporate world tends to answer questions...
This and Hyundai Vision 74 are two cars that should've been made
WTF? Has there ever been a RWD CVT application? Nissan must kick themselves looking at the popularity of the toyobaru twins
I'm pretty sure that the hybrid versions of the Toyota Camry, Lexus IS and GS are RWD and have a CVT. But that's pretty much it I'd say, no more straightforward examples I can think of
I'd go with a dct over a CVT 😂😂
Saw it in person in Woodland Hills made me sad when it wasn't a thing.
Had they made them only with a CVT I don't think the people they were trying to advertise would've bought them. What's the point of making a RWD sports coupe if you're only going to put an automatic a cvt at that.
So... They looked at Nissan Juke... And... Decided it's worth production line... Just mesmerising!
Forgot the Juke 😂.
I thought it could have been the return of the Silvia/240SX
The IDX should have developed as a small sportscar AND a small sedan/saloon car with a range of engines. That was the only way to get it approved by the accountants at Nissan. This would have made it appeal to a wider market. Think of a modern day baby bmw m2/m3 that's more affordable for the enthusiasts and 1.6, 1.8 hybrid, EV variants for the rest of the public. And with the HUGE size and weight of modern EVs that car manufacturers are obsessed with selling to us and are in no way going to help with the environment, Nissan would have had the market of small/medium efficient city cars cornered, whether you wanted it with ICE, Hybrid or EV
I saw those at the Detroit show and I thought they were fantastic. Was so hoping they would make them.
Too bad they didn't take the chance on this. It's definitely better than that goggle eyed mini crossover they tried selling us years ago (So uninspiring I can't remember snything about the Puke... other than the overdone face and desperate for attention awkward proportions)
Yeah, the ID-X was the better idea, and customization (like the Pulsar NX) would have worked.
Sigh...
Its incredible that Nissan would approve the design of the 'Juke', and not these two beauties... They definitelly have some thinking to do....
I don’t understand why no one is making a small affordable sports car that has a base spec that doesn’t have all of the unnecessary electronic crap on it. Give me a basic car that I can drive the hell out of.
Absolutely true!
all that unnecessary electronic crap is govt mandated safety and economy equipment. Don't blame the govt tho. Blame the insurance lobbies ... who own the govt ... okay, blame them both. The ins cos pay out a claim and it hurts so they spread the fear in the media "this death could be you or your child, if you turn everything over to us nobody will ever die again" When they're done, they've added so many features to the car that you can't make a cheap one anymore. You have amortize the cost with a big profit margin which requires upscale cars. Now some Civics cost $50k. It's a joke.
Why does this remind me of the Nissan. Pulsar nx? With the interchange trunk backs
when you said "peter brock" I didn't recognise him, then I realised you were talking about a different one from america haha
I’m still disappointed that this car never made it into production.
Nissan designer knew Gen Z don't like common car design... and now take a look at your local current Nissan product range. CHANGE is not a strong point for Nissan even in 2023.
they could of put somethin like the iDX or Silvia on the Juke platform. The Juke did have an AWD version. They could of save money by keeping it NA but leave room for the aftermarket to place performance parts. 510s and Silvia were economy cars the people just loved to mod the hell out of.
I wished it was real. I think they had the wrong idea looking at the brz and 86. Those are fairly impractical and the boxer engine was a non starter for some buyers. If they looked at the bmw 2 series (coupe) , then 1 series. It would have made more sense. Make it a low powered 2 door sedan and replace the versa which can compete with the sentra. Build a global car that is mundane but looks decent and can be modified to match or beat the brz. Like 2 versions, 1 e-power for automatic drivers and a 1.6 or 1.8 i4 na manual only with like 150hp. U can sell that worldwide, insurance companies wont screw their customers and u sell performance add ons or let the aftermarket take care of the rest.
They should rethink it. Maybe a coupe and a wagon. Maybe a mitsubishi version since their only new car is a rebadged renault clio or something. Perhaps the chassis can be developed for a future Silvia, so they have a mass market and a niche sport coupe on the 1 chassis
Loved this concept when first unveiled. I could see something like this in the EV space. Packaging for better interior space and a few updates and it’d be an interesting addition to the EV market
The resemblance of the FIAT 131 Abarth is impressive though... IMHO they for sure took inspiration from that awesome car.
I grew up rowing my own gears in used, small RWD sport coupes from Germany and Japan I too was extremely excited at the prospect of the IDx. On top of those I've owned a Z32 and my wife currently drives a last gen Xterra Pro-4X (also manual). I've given up on Nissan's ability to turn out a reasonably affordable, fun, RWD coupe. Shame.
They want to talk about building "volume" cars but that's what the 510 was back in the day. Nobody is enthralled in your crappy FWD, CVT lineup. I'd rather buy a BRZ than any comparably priced Nissan.
I wanted that 510 retro so bad
Been waiting for this bad boy for a bit.
if it was similar price to the 86/brz with nice balance and open engine for upgrades it would have sold boat loads.
That nizmo tho looking like a car from “flat out “ I dig it
Wish one of the companies would put out something like this. That is a very cute car.
The IDX was the first Nissan that I had actually seriously considered since the 2004 Sentra SE-R Spec V. No other Nissan product has interested me since. I am sure there have been many other car enthusiast that took their money else. Not everyone one is interested in a BRZ /FRS or Miata.
That thing is awesome. Right up my alley!
CVT with that livery..... Blasphemy!
Completly different but kind of similar: HWA (one of the founders of AMG's company) produces a new Mercedes 190E as a HWA EVO
As an owner of two 510s and a few Civic Sis, Nissan really missed the mark with me for building the Juke over the IDX. It may have sold more cars, but did less than nothing for their reputation.
Probably the only vehicle where the dreaded V motion grille looked good on.
It's funny how car companies don't build for car enthusiasts, the voices that could and would champion the brand. Too bad they'd prefer to be mediocre volume brands.
What a shame they never made it. I wanted one so bad! Perfect fit for me and my needs, great style, and could have been relatively affordable.
Nissan if you’re listening, I’m still open!
I bought my frs the first year it came out and I'm mainly a toyota fan, but if nissan would have produced the idx, I think I would have had a harder time choosing which to buy.
This is why Honda and Toyota are in front of them. I know the market plays a significant role but these 2 take risks and they are not immune to failure as well. Kudos to Honda for the Acura Type S and Civic Type R.
Aww I was hoping the mistake was that they made it and it wasn't very popular, I was about to go searching :)
They could actually drop this car as an EV today, It would definitely beat out most EVs on the market.
Still looks great today. Timeless design imo - and would sell like hotcakes today
Man I want that freeflow, put a duck tail spoiler, Matt black , lowered and deep dish wheels
Some "inside baseball" in Nissan. 2002 'Desert Hawk' concept is the new Pathfinder. So there may be some hope. If they re-task the Juke and use it as a platform for the iDx there may be a revision of this concept.
This article was very well researched, with great footage.
They should bring this back to make up for how badly they dropped the ball with the front of the new Z.. so ugly!
If a car manufacturer ever wants to make me buy a new car, they better start taking risks since there is NOTHING on the market i want. Nothing. And i m a old skool petrol head.
Still waiting for this😍
This Nismo? YES! YES! YES!😍🥰😍 🫶👍
The look of this car ..although 10 years old...is still as modern as many of today's concept - and "real"!cars...wow! Build this and I change my 350z Lady for this 😉
I absolutely love the Freeflow.
Nissan…flashes of brilliance, followed by dross. It’s those special times that keep it my favourite brand. ❤
I wanted this SO bad back when they teased it!! This is what Nissan needs to compete with the Civic Si. Manual, 2.4 liter NA or a 1.6 liter turbo from the Juke. Can’t believe they didn’t bring this to market!!!
Funny story: my grandmother had an AMC Gremlin with the Levi’s jean seats! I remember it well.
this the automotive equivalent of your fav artist making the best song ever and just deciding not to release it
Reminds me of the Peugeot e-legend.
Particularly at 58 seconds and 14:23, this really looks like a modern ta22 1974ish toyota celica. A lot.
when u get new management they have their own ideas, and concepts they want to work on
When the Mazda MX-5 (ND) came out, I hoped Nissan would share that platform to finally build the IDx, but alas.
And they could do the exact same cars again, but on the new platform that the new Renault 5 uses, it seems ready for a Dual Motor (for the Alpine version), so perhaps just putting the motor in the back instead of the front for an electric IDx would match the FR desire.
wishful thinking...
Mad they didnt sell it, untill they said CVT
How when, and where can I get one... Me like! Me want!
yea AE86 is quite expensive! also I didn't like the RWD boxer design. Boxer engine are a pain to work on, I can bear the pain if it was AWD tho. Would love to get Silvia S16!
They were built on S15 Silvia chassis’ so the wheel base would be 99.4 in (2525 mm). Which is only a couple inches shorter than the 86/brz.
Such a classic design, somehow timeless.
This would have been one of the best cars in Africa. The Nissan 510 was a fav especially in Kenya
I just wish they had a way to make the body of the car less thick. That's the main thing that hurts the design. If they made it about three inches shallower and took all that height out of the grey sections in the front and rear and between the belt and body lines within the cabin section, then I think it would be far more successful. Sure, it'd make the cabin a bit tall, but that is acceptable. As it is, the proportions already look like a chop-top hotrod, and having a slightly larger canopy section would make the body of the car seem even smaller by comparison while also improving overall visibility. Currently it looks like a downsized tiny crossover vehicle instead of a coupe. Look at the old Z32 300ZX and how shallow the body is, how little space there is above the wheel opening to the top of the fender. I know Nissan could do this, though it might necessitate designing the engine's oiling such that they could tip the inline 4-cylinder onto its side by about 30-45 degrees for clearance.
Also, personal preference here, I would actually prefer if they just adapted the Leaf drivetrain for RWD implementation instead of sticking a somewhat anemic 4-cylinder into the car. It's already not going to be a massive production run compared to crossovers, SUVs, and sedans since the 2+2 design has long since left mainstream viability in most markets. I think the leaf drivetrain would provide plenty of power for most people, particularly for the base model, and they could create an uprated electric motor for the NISMO model if they wished to. If they wanted, they could even engineer a front motor with a differential to provide AWD and create a miniature, budget friendly, slower GT-R alternative that references some of the design language of the original hachiroku Skyline.
I have to admit that, despite the areas of improvement that I pointed out, these are some of the most compelling concept cars that I've seen from Nissan in more than a decade and they look quite production feasible. The design isn't immediately appealing like some, but like the Z32 300ZX, they grow on you over time until you unironically appreciate them for their quirks. I think, for the target market, such designs would sell reasonably well. Unfortunately, that target market isn't particularly large, so the platform would need to be readily adaptable to larger vehicles for the development to be worthwhile.
They need to understand that the stealerships make it impossible to buy cars with inflated bs prices to there vehicles.
That car would made wonders to nissan, Nissan would had a high end sports car (GTR) mid tier sports car (Z) and beginners sports car (IDX/Datsun) and i can see that it would have gained more fans and reputation and disrupts the mid to beginners sports cars market, but nope, the suits only care about the costs which is a fair thing to care about but only for short term in this case.
I saw them at goodwood. I specifically remember the Nismo.
We have been waiting 20 years for a new Silvia I4 turbo.