Nissan's New CEO Is a 'Real Car Guy'

That could be exactly what Nissan needs.

Ivan Espinosa Nissan CEO

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Jeff Perez

By: Jeff Perez

Mar 12, 2025 at 10:41am ET

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Nissan's recent struggles are no secret. The company teeters on the verge of bankruptcy after a failed merger attempt with fellow Japanese conglomerate Honda. Now, the company has appointed a new CEO in hopes of turning things around. And by all accounts, he's a real enthusiast—just like us.

Ivan Espinosa joined Nissan in 2003, working his way up to become vice president of global strategy and chief planning officer before taking over as CEO. Having spent more than 22 years with the brand, Espinosa is widely recognized by his peers as a car guy.

Ivan Espinosa

New Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa

Photo by: Nissan

"Espinosa is still in his 40s and full of energy," outgoing CEO Makoto Uchida said of his successor. "He’s also a real car guy."

Having a real enthusiast at the helm is good news for Nissan (look what it did for Toyota). The company recently discontinued its iconic GT-R and currently only has one performance car: The Nissan Z. But if it were up to Espinosa—and now, it is—Nissan would have an entire portfolio of performance cars.

During an interview with Top Gear in 2024, Espinosa said that Nissan needed an entry-level (possibly electric) sports car alongside the Z and the GT-R, which was still on sale at the time. His dream? To revive the Silvia name.

2025 Nissan Z

Photo by: Nissan

"It’ll be a challenge [to revive the Silvia]," Espinosa told Top Gear. "But it’s my job to find ways to do stuff like this because I think it’ll be great for customers and the brand, and if I can put the right formula in place we could make it work."

But first and most importantly, Espinosa’s job will be to get Nissan back on track.

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"I sincerely believe that Nissan has so much more potential than what we’re seeing today," Espinosa stated in his introductory press conference. "I’m looking forward to building on the efforts of those who have come before me."

Ivan Espinosa officially takes over as Nissan's CEO on April 1, 2025. Suffice it to say, he has a tough road ahead of him.

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Source: Nissan via Top Gear

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