The Nissan 20-23 Looks Like A Micra That Wants To Be A GT-R

The words ‘Micra’ and ‘exciting’ wouldn’t normally fit into one sentence, unless you also include ‘not’. But the 20-23 concept is no ordinary Micra.

Officially, it isn’t a Nissan Micra at all - the press release doesn’t use the model name once, but peel back all the lairier bits of the bodywork, and you’ll be left with the silhouette of the next-generation, electric-only version of the car that we’ve seen in teasers from Nissan.

Since it does have things like extended wheel arches and an enormous rear diffuser, it’s a bit like a next-gen Micra that’s doing a Nissan GT-R impression. What it actually takes inspiration from, however, is Nissan’s Formula E programme, and also, it’s the work of Nissan Design Europe, which is known for less exotic things than the R35, including smash hits like the Juke and Qashqai.

The reason the designers have really let their hair down for the concept is that it celebrates the 20th anniversary of the London-based design office. And they really have gone to town on the thing - along with those aforementioned far arches and the diffuser, there’s a chunky front splitter, large side skirts and a sizeable rear wing.

The dramatically flared arches are filled with 21-inch wheels, and topped with louvres that while looking cool, also serve a purpose, reducing air pressure from within the arches. Looking to the front, there’s the same lighting signature we’ve seen in previous Micra teasers, with headlight ‘cluster’ comprising two semi-circles. These, we’re told, give the car a “friendly” appearance. 

The 20-23 is accessed via supercar-style scissor doors, revealing a typically bonkers concept car concept with features like a yoke-style steering ‘wheel’ that includes paddles to adjust the electric powertrain and a dashboard with a flipping-great hole in it. There are motorsport-inspired seats trimmed in off-white fabric, and they’re said to “offer tight support, but not at the expense of comfort”.

We can’t imagine Nissan ever putting something quite so outlandish into production, but the concept may well serve as the inspiration for a Micra Nismo. Watch this space.

Speaking about the new concept, Senior Vice President for Nissan design Alfonso Albaisa said:

“The young team here at NDE was given a simple brief: design a fun electric city car that you’d like to drive every day in London. The 20-23 Concept that they designed is a compact hatchback which is strongly influenced by the online racing world. I love the story it tells about how the worlds of modern city living, online gaming and zero emissions mobility intersect.”