A Montreal-based creative designer has won an international car design competition by reinterpreting the exterior of a vehicle not sold in Canada.

Marc-André Fauteux won the Elevate All-New Nissan Micra: The Signature Edition competition, which was put on by Nissan in partnership with the Designboom magazine.

The competition launched in August 2025 and asked artists from around the world to reinterpret the visual identity of Nissan’s newly launched Micra.

The Micra, a subcompact EV, is not sold in Canada.

Yet, Fauteux managed to come out on top among more than 1,000 entries.

The participants entered their submissions as artworks online.

After Fauteux was selected as winner, Nissan brought his artwork by placing his visual concept onto a Micra.

The car is showcased at Nissan Automotive Europe’s headquarters in France.

Inspiration for vehicle design

The winning Micra design is described as organized simplicity, featuring controlled geometric forms and spontaneous visual energy.

Fauteux has more than two decades of experience in graphic and interactive design.

The winning Micra features asymmetric design elements with bold colours.

The artist said the design was inspired by Montreal’s vibrant creative scene and a fusion of art and automotive design.

“Representing Canada is an immense source of pride, especially given the richness and diversity of the nationalities among the finalists. I am proud to demonstrate that Canadian creativity fully belongs among the global elite – and that it can stand alongside the very best,” Fauteux said in a news release.

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