Nissan has given a sneak peek of the highly anticipated next Micra with the introduction of the motorsport-themed 20-23 hot hatch concept.

The eye-catching supermini, designed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Nissan’s European design centre in Paddington, London, draws inspiration from the carmaker’s participation in the Formula E race series and its history of producing bold hatchbacks.

The concept car was unveiled by Nissan’s president and CEO, Makoto Uchida, in front of Nissan Design Europe’s (NDE) headquarters in central London. The choice of venue emphasizes the 20-23’s sporty and urban character.

The NDE team was given a free rein to design a car that they would want to drive on the city streets where they work. The result is a race-inspired design featuring prominent front and rear diffusers, a touring car-spec rear wing, oversized wheel arches, and ultra-low-profile racing tires.

Other conceptual styling elements include a roof scoop, racing numbers, Lamborghini-style scissor doors, and air-channelling louvres on the tops of the wings. These features continue Nissan’s tradition of bringing playful and eye-catching design to the world of hatchbacks and city cars.

Beneath its racy exterior, the 20-23 concept offers a closer look at Nissan’s upcoming electric replacement for the Micra. This new model is set to go into production in 2026, built on the CMF-BEV platform shared with Alliance partner Renault’s 5 supermini and Alpine A290 hot hatchback.

The previewed replacement for the Micra, introduced last year as a compact five-door supermini with a distinct design, is expected to share several design elements with other electric models in Nissan’s lineup. The initial side profile image revealed shared features such as the two-piece circular LED light clusters and black ‘floating’ roof. Although the 20-23 concept does not have rear doors like the production version, it still shares a similar silhouette and proportions.