Nissan’s New CEO Is Here to Save the Brand, But Can He Pull It Off?

From Z-cars to Zzzz-cars: Can Ivan Espinosa, the new Nissan CEO wake up the sleeping Japanese giant?

When was the last time you got genuinely excited about a Nissan? For many enthusiasts, it’s been a minute. Once the company that gave us the GT-R, the Z, and pioneered mainstream electric vehicles with the Leaf, Nissan has spent the last decade in a strange holding pattern.

Competent cars? Sure. Soul-stirring machines that make you want to take the long way home? Not so much.

Enter Ivan Espinosa, Nissan’s new CEO, and potentially its savior.

Espinosa comes with serious car-guy credentials and engineering chops, which is exactly what Nissan needs right now. The company has been drifting without a clear identity, caught between trying to be a value brand and aspiring to its former innovation-leader status.

I’ve watched Nissan’s slow decline with a mixture of frustration and sadness. This is the company that once gave us the R32 GT-R that dominated motorsports so thoroughly it earned the nickname “Godzilla.”

The company whose Z cars helped define accessible sports car fun for generations. The company that took a massive risk with the all-electric Leaf before EVs were cool. Where did that Nissan go?

Espinosa seems to be asking the same question. His stated focus on returning Nissan to its “innovative roots” is music to the ears of anyone who remembers what this brand is capable of. But talk is cheap in the auto industry, and Nissan has some serious challenges to overcome.

For one, their EV strategy fell behind after their early lead with the Leaf. While competitors poured billions into developing comprehensive electric lineups, Nissan seemed to rest on their laurels. The Ariya crossover is a solid effort, but it arrived years after competitors had established their EV credentials.

Then there’s the matter of brand perception. Nissan’s aggressive fleet sales and rental car strategy in the 2010s damaged their image. Combined with the infamous CVT transmission issues in several models, the brand became associated with mediocrity rather than innovation.

Espinosa’s appointment comes at a crucial time. The industry is in the midst of its biggest transformation since the invention of the assembly line, and Nissan needs clear direction. If he can channel some of that old Nissan magic – the willingness to take risks, the engineering excellence, the understanding of what enthusiasts want – there’s still time for a comeback story.

I’m cautiously optimistic. The car world is more interesting when Nissan is firing on all cylinders, and I’d love nothing more than to see them reclaim their place as one of Japan’s most exciting automakers.

On a personal note: Not bringing the New Z to Europe and making it work around the crazy regulations is really strange. I’m sure they have crunched the numbers and figured it’s just not worth the hassle. At least we got the Juke 😅.

Interesting Facts:

• The appointment comes at a crucial time for Nissan’s EV market competition
• Nissan was once an industry leader in EV technology with the Leaf but has fallen behind competitors in recent years