Back in the olden days, Japanese automaker Nissan used to export vehicles under the Datsun subsidiary. One of those automobiles is the short-lived 510 family that was copiously inspired by the likes of the BMW 02 Series.
Also known as the Bluebird or under numerical designations based on the displacement of the powerplant in cubic centimeters, the 510 could be had with four-cylinder engines and a choice of sedan, coupe and wagon body styles. Also produced in Australia, New Zealand and Mexico, the 510 made a name for itself as a competitive racing car in the Trans Am championship.
Nissan discontinued the iconic series in 1973 in favor of the 610, but automobile and motorsport enthusiasts hold the 510 in high regard even today. The Yokohama-based automaker came up with the IDx Freeflow Concept and IDx NISMO Concept as modern reinterpretations of the 510, but as it’s often the case with Nissan, neither made it into series production.
As the name implies, the Freeflow brims with creative originality, daring styling and a rather interesting four-seat interior that features denim upholstery. Envisioned with 1.2 and 1.5-liter engines connected to a continuously variable transmission, the Freeflow is bettered by the NISMO thanks to a 1.5-liter turbo motor and a six-speed manual with rev matching.
Virtual tuner Theo Throttle - a.k.a. Theottle - had a go at imagining the road-going concept into a series-production vehicle with a totally different powertrain from the original. Instead of a four-cylinder mill and a central-mounted tailpipe, his reinterpretation of the IDx comes in the guise of an EV with a 2+2 layout, four-spoke alloy wheels and thicker central pillars.
Differences further include A-pillar side mirrors, not fender-mounted mirrors, a front-mounted license plate and more gloss-black garnish to the detriment of the concept’s shiny chrome. A rather tasteful rendering, this fellow isn’t likely to see the light of day because Nissan has other priorities.
Similar to alliance partners Renault and Mitsubishi, the Japanese automaker intends to accelerate its zero-emission strategy after one too many eons of relying on the Leaf. Based on the increasing preference for crossover utility vehicles, a sports car definitely isn’t high on the company’s list of priorities. Heck, if Nissan had enough money to spend on such a vehicle, they would have already redesigned the 14-year-old R35 into the long-rumored R36.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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