Full text
Infiniti pushed the QX80 Red Sport back more than a year to work on its performance.
Flagship SUV will receive meaningful chassis, braking, styling, and power upgrades.
Brand admits horsepower alone isn’t enough to compete with AMG and BMW M.
Infiniti is hitting the reset button on its most ambitious performance model in years. Rather than rush the QX80 Red Sport into showrooms with a bigger engine tune and some cosmetic tweaks, the luxury brand has decided to delay the SUV by more than a year while it transforms it into something capable of genuinely challenging rivals from Mercedes-AMG and BMW M . That means a longer wait for buyers, but it also suggests Infiniti might actually be getting its soul back.
var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:[]};
adpushup.que.push(function() {
if (adpushup.config.platform !== "DESKTOP"){
adpushup.triggerAd("0f7e3106-c4d6-4db4-8135-c508879a76f8");
} else {
adpushup.triggerAd("82503191-e1d1-435a-874f-9c78a2a54a2f");
}
});
According to Autonews , the Red Sport had originally been slated to arrive this December with roughly 600 hp (447 kW), quicker acceleration, and a more aggressive appearance. As development progressed, though, Infiniti concluded that simply adding horsepower wasn’t enough to justify a six-figure sticker or convince enthusiasts to take it seriously.
More: Infiniti’s Coming For BMW M And AMG To Make You Care Again
“We know we have one chance at a first impression when it comes to this type of product,” Infiniti Americas chief Eric Ledieu told the publication. “As we have started to work on the project, we’re realizing that power alone is not sufficient. When you’re paying six figures for a performance-based SUV of this size and scale, it needs to deliver.” We couldn’t agree more, and the overarching theme here is doing it right rather than doing it fast.
var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:[]};
adpushup.que.push(function() {
if (adpushup.config.platform === "DESKTOP"){
adpushup.triggerAd("ea4d4b5a-f8e5-4d5d-9d9a-53a3b956b6cd");
} else{
adpushup.triggerAd("44c0a4dc-e25b-4ba5-ac64-2c510461b92a");
}
});
More Than Just Muscle
Infiniti QX80 Track Spec Concept
Instead of focusing primarily on straight-line speed, the revised project now includes comprehensive suspension tuning, stronger brakes, a more aggressive aerodynamic package, an active exhaust system, and a significantly reworked cabin. Ledieu also said buyers shouldn’t expect it to resemble the current QX80, promising a redesigned front fascia, wider fender flares, and massive 24-inch wheels.
Under the hood, the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 will receive a substantial bump over the standard QX80’s 450 hp (336 kW). Ledieu said the increase will be “much more” than 20 percent, suggesting output could easily exceed the previously reported 600 hp (447 kW). Infiniti is targeting a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of less than five seconds. That’s not lightning quick, but it’s a significant step forward for the brand.
The delay makes sense once you drive the current QX80 Sport and its close relative, the Armada NISMO, both of which leave plenty to be desired once the road starts to bend. They have the power and the visual attitude, but neither feels particularly eager or composed from behind the wheel. Adding another 150 or so horsepower to that recipe would’ve made for an entertaining highway bruiser, but probably not much more.
Which is why holding off may prove the smart move. Rather than relying on brute force like some sort of Japanese Durango SRT Hellcat, Infiniti now seems intent on building an SUV that’s genuinely rewarding to drive. The revised QX80 Red Sport is now expected to arrive alongside the SUV’s mid-cycle refresh during the first half of 2028. Pricing should land roughly $30,000 above today’s QX80 Sport, which starts at $103,945 including destination, putting it firmly into six-figure territory.
var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:[]};
adpushup.que.push(function() {
if (adpushup.config.platform !== "DESKTOP"){
adpushup.triggerAd("bb7964e9-07de-4b06-a83e-ead35079d53c");
} else {
adpushup.triggerAd("9b1169d9-7a89-4971-a77f-1397f7588751");
}
});
The Wilder One Isn’t Dead Yet
Infiniti QX80 R-Spec Concept
Infiniti has also been weighing an even wilder QX80 Track Spec, though the project hasn’t cleared internal review. Early concepts reportedly chased outputs near 700 hp, possibly leaning on Nissan GT-R engineering of the sort shown off by the QX80 R-Spec show vehicle. Building it, Infiniti says, would demand far deeper powertrain changes and a much bigger spend before any of it reaches production.
“That’s a whole different type of development versus what we’re working on here,” Ledieu told Autonews. “We need to evaluate the business proposition and the lead times that it would take.”
var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:[]};
adpushup.que.push(function() {
if (adpushup.config.platform !== "DESKTOP"){
adpushup.triggerAd("bb7964e9-07de-4b06-a83e-ead35079d53c");
} else {
adpushup.triggerAd("9b1169d9-7a89-4971-a77f-1397f7588751");
}
});
Infiniti QX80 R-Spec Concept
Comments
No comments yet — be the first to weigh in 👇
No comments yet. Be the first!