After much trash-talking, behold Nissan's Toyobaru competitor!

OMG looks so cool!

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/11/tokyo-2013-nissan-idx-shows-a-potential-toyobaru-fighter/

And...it's CVT only

You berkeleyed up, Nissan. Nobody wants the car just for looking at.

I'd hold out judgement until the production version is released. I'd think perhaps the automatics will be CVT, but I'd expect a true manual if they intend on attracting any sort of enthusiast following.

Looks pretty bitchin to me!

"...a potential toyobaru fighter..."

I'm reading that to mean "a concept car."

Meh, fortunately for us, the truth about The Truth About Cars is that there's often not much truth about the cars in The Truth About Cars.

Yeah either there's a manual option they're not telling us about, or they messed up their powertrain choice on this in the way they usually mess up a car's looks. I can't believe they'd aim a car at the enthusiast market with a CVT as the only trans. option, that's a Ballmerian mistake (just made that up...makes total sense).

In reply to GameboyRMH:

"Ballmerian mistake"... I love it.

Joe Gearin wrote: I'd hold out judgement until the production version is released.

That's no fun at all.

That looks like a Datsun 510, rendered in polygons from a late 90s video game, with rendering issues.

I'll lump this in with "Fiscal responsibility in government." In other words, I'll believe it when I see it.

and a downsized engine from the 1.6 turbo engine.... what are we getting?

Dammit. I was hoping for a close to production actual car. This is some weird marketing fantasy that makes no sense. Dammit again.

I like it. The only design changes I'd make (just going solely on the pics above), would be to lose the kick up above the rear wheel and fatten up the 'B' pillar a bit.

Oh...and I'd tell people from the get-go that a manual is the transmission.

Meh

Looks like Nissan has proven that they are without a light in the darkness...

dubbed the IDx, which was apparently designed with the help of “digital natives”, or young people who have grown up with computers and the internet. "

Someone needs to call Nissan and tell them that until the transporter is perfect, transportation in general and certainly Automobiles, are still an analog technology.

And that has to be a joke right? No car company would be stupid enough to release something that ugly? Right? Please?

Seriously, berkeleying marketers.

Looks like a modern 510 to me. Pretty cool, but the CVT killed any hardon I could have possibly had for it...

I can see where the styling came from, but dear lord, did they have to go all Dodgy with it?

Lets breed these two together:

...and put the mirrors in a "classic" position.

While the nose doesn't do much for me, I don't find it grotesque, and I rather like the rest of the shape.

I'm pretty sure modern regulations will put the mirrors in a more "normal" spot, though they have them in an arguably "classic" location.

If it made it to market with a good-handling chassis and reasonable weight/power/price, I think I'd find this car quite desirable.

In reply to ransom:

Exactly what I was thinking honestly. I like evrything behind the nose.

its definitely edgy, kinda like some new stuff i've seen in other arenas, but if the question was 1.6l turbo and cvt you can only keep one, they chose dead wrong

If it's an off-the-shelf CVT, does that mean it's FWD? I don't know of any CVT cars with longitudinal engines.

Nice looking, horrible drivetrain. CVT? In a sportscar? WTF!?! Then they mention the 1.6 motor would be downsized. It's already tiny, how much smaller do you want? Should be upsized to at least 2.0L.

Nissan has truly lost their way, (and the minds) falling into a HUGE hole.

Just to make everyone happy, here's another website at least as credible showing that there will be a Nismo variant with a 6spd. Yay!!!!

http://jalopnik.com/the-nissan-idx-nismo-concept-is-the-rebirth-of-the-god-1468159303

In the meantime, we can all complain about a car that will likely not be released in a form anywhere close to what either website is depicting.

Bigger, better pics of the race and "street" versions. I love them, other than some concept car detailing. A lot fo the BRE Datsuns i grew up loving, as well as a little KGC10 Skyline thrown in for good measure:

I don't hate the styling. Plus it is a RWD sports car hopefully.

I really hope they don't ruin it with a CVT.