Nissan's Mid-Engined Hot Hatch Is Back. And It's Even Cooler Now

The Nissan Micra 350SR was a mid-engined hot hatch with a powerful V-6. Now it's back more than 20 years later.

Nissan Micra 350SR Restomod

Photo by: Nissan

Jeff Perez

By: Jeff Perez

May 15, 2025 at 10:30am ET

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A new electric Nissan Micra is coming in 2026, which should have fans of the famed hatchback at least excited to see the nameplate return. But before it does, Nissan wants to celebrate the third-generation Micra’s 23rd birthday with a special reinvention of its one-off Micra 350SR.

The original Micra 350SR was built by RML Group, the same racing team responsible for Nissan's 1990s British Touring Car success. Based on a standard 2002 Micra K12, the 350SR had a 3.5-liter V-6 engine from the Murano shoved behind the front seats, complete with headers from a 350Z and high-lift cams from Nismo. All told, it made 300 horsepower.

Nissan Micra 350SR Restomod

Photos by: Nissan

Twenty-five years later, Nissan is giving that 350SR the restomod treatment. Although it doesn’t stray far from the original design, the updated Micra 350SR features new rounded LED headlights that pay homage to the upcoming Micra EV, a silver-and-blue livery with Nissan's '=III 23' iconography, and refreshed 18-inch RAYS wheels.

The cabin goes mostly untouched, apart from a few light updates. The 350R’s interior boasts modern seats and harnesses, a 9.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and speakers for blasting your favorite tunes—so long as you’re not drowning out the sound of that V-6.

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The powertrain, thankfully, appears untouched. It’s the same 3.5-liter V-6 from the Murano used in the original version, still making an estimated 300 horsepower. For a car that weighs just 2,646 pounds, that’s plenty.

The updated Micra 350SR debuts to the general public today at the 2025 SMMT Test Day at Millbrook Proving Ground in the UK—the very same track Nissan used to develop the car more than 20 years ago.

Nissan Micra 350SR Restomod