The Nissan Micra 350SR Is Back With 300 HP, LED Eyes

Remember the wild Nissan Micra 350SR concept from way back in 2002? Yeah, the one where someone at Nissan said, “What if we shoved a V6 from a Murano into a tiny hatchback?” Well, it’s back—and looking sharper than ever.

To mark Nissan’s “Ni-San” celebration, the team over at Nissan Design Europe decided to give the legendary hot hatch a proper restomod glow-up. Visually, the biggest change is up front, where the old headlights have been swapped for modern LED units with semi-circular DRLs—clearly a nod to the newer sixth-gen Micra.

The paint job is just as bold as the original idea itself. The refreshed 350SR rocks a sleek satin liquid silver finish, with blue highlights and gloss black details to make it pop. Refurbished 18-inch RAYS wheels are still tucked underneath, keeping the spirit of the original alive. And check out those new graphics—pulled straight from the design language of Nissan’s next-gen Micra and Leaf, using the new ‘=III 23’ iconography.

Hop inside and you’ll find new bucket seats and racing harnesses, plus a bit of modern tech bolted onto the dash. It’s got a 9-inch infotainment screen now, running both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Sure, it looks a little aftermarket, but hey—function over form, right?

As for what’s under the hood, Nissan didn’t mess with what already worked. The 3.5-liter V6 from the Murano is still the heart of this beast, but just like the original concept, it’s not your average crossover engine. It’s been tuned with headers from a 350Z, a modified ECU, high-lift cams, and a NISMO induction system. Back in the day, all of that added up to a 300-hp rocket weighing just 2,646 pounds (about 1,200 kg). Still sounds like a recipe for chaos—in the best way.

The reborn 350SR is set to debut officially tomorrow, and while it might still be a one-off, it’s awesome to see Nissan celebrating its quirky, unhinged side again. Here’s hoping it inspires a few more bonkers builds in the future.