Nissan Micra 350SR Restomod Marks 23 Years with Modern Twist
Nissan celebrates the imminent launch of the new MICRA EV by reviving the legendary Nissan Micra 350SR restomod for its 23rd birthday. The mid-engined Micra now wears a striking satin liquid-silver finish, gains refreshed hardware and introduces Apple CarPlay to keep drivers connected.
Built on a Sunderland-produced 2002 Micra K12, the 350SR emerged from the race outfit behind Nissan’s 1990s British Touring Car victories. Nissan GB commissioned the one-off to prove the Micra platform’s flexibility and to honour the model’s little-known racing pedigree in Japanese motorsport.
The team bolted a 3.5-litre Murano V6 into the Micra’s centre, added 350Z headers, NISMO high-lift cams, uprated induction and a revised ECU that lifts output to roughly 300 hp. With only 1,200 kg to move, the hatch delivers performance that remains ‘more than adequate’. Over two decades, the car has starred at Nissan shows and entertained journalists, yet the passing years made this milestone refresh essential.
Nissan Design Europe in Paddington, the studio behind the forthcoming MICRA EV and the radical Concept 20-23, led the facelift. The designers respected the Micra’s heritage, choosing a light-touch restomod that modernises style without erasing history.
They layered the liquid-silver base with blue accents and graphics drawn from Nissan’s ‘=III 23’ iconography, which was inspired by the 300ZX’s rear lamps and is now visible on the MICRA EV and new LEAF. Designers coated the grille and lower sections in gloss black and restored the original 18-inch RAYS 350Z alloys. LED headlamps with semi-circular daytime running lights complete the face, echo the upcoming MICRA, and project a brighter, safer beam.
Inside, new bucket seats and harnesses join a nine-inch touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus uprated speakers for moments when the V6 soundtrack is insufficient. However, few drivers will choose music over that mechanical chorus.
Nissan will unveil the refreshed Micra 350SR on 15 May 2025 at the SMMT Test Day held at Millbrook Proving Ground, which hosted its original development. Journalists keen to experience this singular chapter of Nissan Micra history should contact Nissan GB immediately.
The number ‘23’ matters to Nissan because ‘ni’ means two and ‘san’ means three in Japanese, and the figure has graced NISMO racers for nearly four decades, making the 350SR’s ‘Ni-San’ anniversary the perfect moment for this striking rebirth.
