Infiniti’s biggest SUV is getting glow-ups for the track and for off-road duty.
Normally, a full-size SUV like the latest Infiniti QX80 is more at home on Rodeo Drive than it would be on the Rubicon or at Willow Springs. Nevertheless, the brand brought two such concepts to The Quail during Monterey Car Week — each showing a different direction of what the QX80 could do. That is, if Infiniti could be bothered to actually put either vehicle into production (and that largely would depend on feedback from this week’s event).
So, what exactly are we looking at here? One SUV is the Infiniti QX80 Terrain Spec, while the other is the Track Spec. Both names are pretty on-the-nose, so you don’t really have to guess at the company’s intent here. Again, both are just concepts for now, but both bring their own kind of flair to what is otherwise a handsome, if decidedly suburban family rig.
The QX80 Terrain Spec, as you’d expect, brings more rugged updates to the mix. Think along the lines of the Armada Pro-4X, but taking things a bit further. To that end, you do get the “Invisible Hood” view on the infotainment screen, as well as a set of unique wheels wrapped in chunky off-road tires and raised suspension. Fender flares, side-exit exhaust and a roof-mounted light bar with a rooftop tent help finish out the look. It’s meant to be an overlander, and perhaps a foil to something like the Lexus LX 600, which has an inherent reputation as a solid off-roader, even though it’s a luxury SUV first and foremost.
As for the Track Spec…Infiniti went harder than I thought they would here. See, the Nissan Armada Nismo makes 460 horsepower from its twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine. And that’s great — but it’s only 35 hp more than stock. The QX80, on the other hand, isn’t screwing around: It makes more than 650 horsepower, according to the automaker’s claims, and a stratospheric 750 lb-ft of torque…from the same engine. Infiniti even says it made that power largely using stock internals. Its engineers upgraded the turbo system, fitting a beefier intercooler, new fuel injectors and a lower-restriction exhaust.
You also get Brembo brakes here (naturally) to rein things in, but it does make you wonder…why does the stock Armada/QX80 only make 425-450 horsepower? Yeah, sure, dialing up the go-fast factor that much does introduce practical concerns for fuel economy and reliability, but if Dodge can make a Durango SRT Hellcat work, can we at least get a nice, round 500 horsepower, Nissan?
At any rate, we’ll have to wait and see if elements from either of these concepts make it into production, either as a bespoke vehicle or at least through the accessories catalog. It’s unlikely we’ll see a 650-horsepower version in your local showroom, for example, but wheel and tire packages as well as bolt-on upgrades? That’s probably where we’ll see some updates at some point
