Nissan MICRA Signature Edition Design Competition Nears Completion
Nissan, in collaboration with designboom, has announced the 11 finalists in the Elevate All-Recent Nissan MICRA: The Signature Edition international design competition, launched on August 11, 2025. The contest invited designers, architects, students, and creative enthusiasts worldwide to reimagine the exterior identity of the all-new Nissan MICRA without altering its fundamental structure. The final winner will be revealed on March 30, 2026.
Elevating the MICRA’s Bold Personality
The competition aimed to translate the Nissan MICRA’s personality into a refined visual language. Participants were challenged to enhance the car’s exterior through color, graphics, patterns, materials, and surface treatments, while maintaining its original body, windows, wheels, and lighting [Source: designboom]. Over a thousand initial registrations showcased how subtle changes and bold design choices could redefine the car’s identity without structural modifications.
A Three-Phase Selection Process
The contest unfolded in three phases, beginning with an open call for portfolios and creative statements. Approximately 100 participants were then selected to develop full proposals, which were refined based on jury feedback. This iterative process encouraged designers to critically assess their work and create a true ‘Signature Edition’ rather than a purely decorative treatment [Source: designboom].
Themes Among the Finalists
Recurring themes among the finalists demonstrate a sensitivity toward culture, movement, and material expression. Some designs draw inspiration from Japanese craftsmanship and philosophy, emphasizing imperfection, restraint, and tactility. Others explore motion through gradients, waves, or pixelated graphics, referencing energy, technology, and electric mobility. Several finalists also extended their concepts to include cohesive interior accents or functional accessories.
The Finalists
- Lee Moore (USA): The Sky’s the Limit — The All-New Nissan MICRA Signature Edition
- Alexander Rehn (Germany): The all-new Nissan MICRA FLUX -Signature Edition
- Gaetan Peuzin (France): The All-New Nissan MICRA Honmono Signature Edition
- Jens Magnusson (Sweden): Waves of Light
- Arjun Ranaware (India): The all-new Nissan MICRA EV – CMF Designer Special Edition Concept
- Marc-André Fauteux (Canada): The All-New Nissan MICRA: an expression of boldness and balance
- Arya Kani (USA): The all-new Nissan MICRA Signature Edition: Luminous Edge
- Sebastien Fraudet (France): Token Vision
- Barbara Kalustian (Dominican Republic): Continuous Motion
- Sebastian Burdon (UK): A Pulse of Innovation
- Mani Keramati (Iran)
Nissan and designboom Collaboration
The competition is a collaboration between Nissan and designboom. Nissan, founded in 1933, is a global automotive brand focused on innovative design and advanced mobility solutions [Source: designboom]. The winning design will be produced as a limited edition, and the designer will be credited as part of the Signature Edition campaign.
Initial submissions and registration closed on September 28, 2025 [Source: LinkedIn] and [Source: Instagram].