Remember the Nissan Foria? This was the stylish, Italianate rear-drive concept coupe that Nissan produced for the 2005 Tokyo motor show. With a curvaceous, long nose profile and a designer leather-trimmed cabin, plus rear suicide doors, the Foria got strong reviews at the show. It could, if made, become an upmarket successor to the 200SX - and the word in Japan is that it could be closer to production than many expected.
Inside Nissan, studies are still going on whether to produce the Foria, or something like it. Back at the 2005 Detroit show, Nissan also showed the Urge, a stripped-down, three-seat sports concept with an Xbox 360 in the boot, and again this was rear-drive.
Autocar understands there is still a gap in Nissan's new model programme after 2010 for a car to fit the Foria/Urge slot; a car that could also theoretically dovetail with the 350Z, in the mould of the much-loved and much-missed 200SX, doyen of Japan's late night drifting tribe. Nissan, however, is taking a blue sky approach to this project and has also investigated the possibility of producing a mid-engined car for this slot in the range.
For now, though, the Foria remains a strong candidate and was shown again this week when media toured Nissan's impressive new global design studio in Atsugi, Japan. Don't bet against it turning up at a showroom near you at the turn of the decade.
Peter Nunn
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