elevate the all-new nissan MICRA global design competition reveals the finalists

"The competition was conceived as a platform for translating the all-new Nissan MICRA's audacious personality into a refined, elevated visual language. Participants were asked to work within tight constraints, retaining the car's body, windows, wheels, and lighting, while elevating its presence through color, graphics, patterns, materials, and surface treatments."

"Across more than a thousand initial registrations, proposals demonstrated how subtle interventions, bold chromatic decisions, and thoughtful detailing could shift perception and identity without structural change. The iterative format encouraged designers to respond critically to guidance, strengthening conceptual clarity and sharpening what it means to create a true 'Signature Edition' rather than a purely decorative treatment."

Nissan partnered with designboom to launch an international design competition inviting creatives worldwide to elevate the all-new Nissan MICRA's exterior identity. Participants retained the car's body, windows, wheels, and lighting while reimagining its presence through color, graphics, patterns, materials, and surface treatments. The three-phase selection process began with over 1,000 registrations, narrowed to approximately 100 portfolio submissions, then refined through jury feedback to 11 finalists. The competition aimed to translate the MICRA's audacious personality into refined visual language through subtle interventions and bold design decisions. The final Signature Edition winner will be revealed on March 30, 2026.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine