Where Are You Heading, Nissan? Why It's Time to Return to Its True Identity

Source: Quoted from Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Official Website (nissan.co.jp)

Once upon a time, a beautiful and long-standing "division of roles" existed in the Japanese automotive market.
Take Honda, for example—they were always the symbol of the word "cutting-edge." During the golden age of internal combustion engines, they built terrifyingly powerful engines that shook the world, led by their F1 achievements. And should a true era of EVs (electric vehicles) arrive, they would undoubtedly boast the undisputed top position in the EV space through their overwhelming technological leadership.
Their true essence lies in constantly blazing trails into uncharted territories where no one has gone before. Starting with motorcycles, expanding into automobiles, and eventually taking to the skies with a jet (HondaJet)—their trajectory is that of a genius constantly pursuing fresh stimulation and endlessly redefining the cutting edge.

Source: Quoted from Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Official Website (nissan.co.jp)

Nissan, however, is completely different. Clunky and rugged, they never possessed sleek, refined sophistication in the first place. Yet in everyday life, they manage to craft legendary vehicles packed with maximum family-friendly thoughtfulness, like the Serena (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fm%2F0gjy9m&q=%E3%82%BB%E3%83%AC%E3%83%8A). This overwhelming contrast and unrefined grit are precisely the true identity that Nissan must defend at all costs.
From a critic's perspective, the major blunder Nissan has exposed globally in recent years is a self-inflicted defeat caused by losing sight of its own identity and trying to play cutting-edge innovator by imitating Honda. The current management crisis is nothing short of a predictable outcome waiting to happen.

The Root Cause of Misdirection: The Collapse of "Pretending to Act" Under Trendy Illusions

Even to a layman, it was obvious that their main battlefield, the U.S. market, was far from shifting entirely to EVs. Ignoring realities like underdeveloped infrastructure, vast territory, and the actual needs of everyday consumers, Nissan's upper management rushed ahead blindly, swept up by politically driven hype that "the EV era is here."
What made it even more twisted was how they sidelined the development of full hybrids (HEVs)—which should have been their primary cash cow—and tried to buy time overseas with mild hybrids to "pretend to play it smart." Because this stopgap period dragged on for far too long, consumers completely rejected their half-baked lineup, and rival full hybrids stole their customer base away. Left caught in a worst-case pincer attack with only "unsellable EVs" and "exposed mild hybrids" in hand—that is the essence of this collapse. Carlos Ghosn (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fm%2F04v16_&q=%E3%82%AB%E3%83%AB%E3%83%AD%E3%82%B9%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B4%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3) once relentlessly enacted the doctrine of "selection and concentration," a cold decisiveness that current management has completely forgotten.

Mastery of Control: The "Gritty Backbone of Nissan" Proven by the S15 Response Machine

Nissan cars never needed to rev smoothly or politely. Twist the tap just a bit (apply pressure), and a massive wave of torque hits you like a hammer. This sheer potential for tuning and tinkering was the pure romance of Nissan.
The Silvia (S15) that I built entirely with my own hands back in the day is living proof of this. While leaving the internal engine components stock, I modified everything else, elevating it into a response machine producing over 300 horsepower.
I set the baseline boost pressure to 1.0 kg/cm² and used a mechanical actuator to physically lock it down so it wouldn't exceed that level. From there, I fine-tuned the control precisely using an ECU (Power FC). This combination of an analog baseline and digital micro-adjustments was the ultimate balance, creating exceptional throttle response and driving dynamics. Furthermore, I built the entire suspension on rigid mounts, sticking to a spartan setup that communicated road feedback directly to the driver.
Because the chassis was absurdly solid, it could handle extreme modifications endlessly. What drove drivers crazy about the R32's RB26DETT and the S15 (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fg%2F122qmhbj&q=S15)'s SR20DET was their overwhelming toughness and their ferocious nature to muscle through anything.

What Must Be Done Next: Concentrating Resources on 5 Core Pillars and Instantly Withdrawing from EVs

The scenario for Nissan to claw its way out of its current plight is exceptionally simple: immediately sever and abandon the superficial EV strategy. Reclaim their pride and say, "No matter what Honda says, we aren't building EVs," and concentrate all resources entirely on the following five core pillars:
• Massive GT-R: The ultimate symbol of the brand, pushing AWD technology to pure violence
• Elegant Z: A rear-wheel-drive sports car packed with the grit of frontline engineers, resurrecting echoes of the classic 240Z (S30) and Z32 (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fg%2F11w3qgp8q_&q=Z32) into the modern era
• Serena (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fm%2F0gjy9m&q=%E3%82%BB%E3%83%AC%E3%83%8A): A mid-size minivan that combines high family practicality with nimble driving dynamics
• Elgrand (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fm%2F03zd0z&q=%E3%82%A8%E3%83%AB%E3%82%B0%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%83%89): A flagship minivan that combines planted, road-hugging performance with top-tier luxury and comfort
• Full-Fledged 4WD SUV: Tough gear built to conquer rough roads worldwide with "e-4ORCE (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fg%2F11rvglh0ws&q=e-4ORCE)" and "ALL MODE 4x4-i"
When seeing the current new Z (RZ34), everyone must have felt like applauding and saying, "Well done!" As the company leaned heavily toward electrification, the engineering team—raised on the same show *Seibu Keisatsu* as our generation—crafted its design and specs through sheer obsession, declaring, "We won't let Nissan's gritty backbone die out." Nissan must return to being an automaker that places iconic cars radiating that dazzling glow front and center in dealerships, giving fathers once again a dream storyline of "someday, a Z."
Leave cutting-edge smart technology and restless, relentless pioneering to the brilliant Honda. It's fine to be unpolished—powerfully command the rock-solid platforms you believe in, put a smirk on the driver's face, and gently wrap around the family on the drive home. Defending this identity of a "massive, rugged, yet family-friendly Nissan" is the one and only way for Nissan to survive in this era.