The third-generation K12 Nissan Micra is officially 23 years old, so to celebrate, Nissan GB have revealed a surprise restomod that nobody saw coming. It may seem like an arbitrary number, but in Japanese, 2 (‘ni') and 3 (‘san’) combined sound like the company name, and therefore features on a number of their racing machines. Built by the same team behind Nissan’s 1990s British Touring Car successes, the Micra 350SR was originally commissioned over twenty years ago to showcase the adaptability of the Micra platform.
Powered by a mid-mounted 3.5-litre V6 from a Murano upgraded with headers from a 350Z, NISMO high-lift cams and induction, plus a modified ECU, this 1,200kg hot hatch has been endowed with over 300 horsepower. For years now, the Micra 350SR has brought smiles to the faces of Nissan event attendees and journalists alike, and now they’re honouring its service with a restomod-style refresh.
The designers at Nissan Design Europe in Paddington, London, were tasked with updating the 350SR’s looks. The team — who were also responsible for the new Micra EV — chose a restomod aesthetic for the city car, combining newly refurbished 18-inch RAYS 350Z alloys with LED headlights featuring semi-circular daytime running lights. Finally, a satin ‘liquid silver’ livery with blue highlights and fresh 300ZX-inspired graphics completes the look.
We must admit we had no idea the Micra 350SR existed until today, and it fits right in among the crazy hot hatches emerging from the likes of Renault. Unfortunately the Micra 350SR remains a one-off, but who knows, maybe a super-hot version of the upcoming Micra EV is on the way to do battle with the Renault 5 Turbo 3E.
