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Upcoming QX80 will use current model's platform, powertrain

Infiniti previewed the next-gen QX80 full-size SUV at this year's New York Auto Show with the QX80 Monograph concept. The new model is slated to go into production by the end of this year. Despite the updated look, Motor Trend reports that the next QX80 will ride on the same platform as the current model, carrying along with it the 5.6-liter 400 horsepower V8. The current QX80 shares a platform with the Nissan Patrol globally and the Nissan Armada here in the US. The model has been a success for the automaker, outselling every other Infiniti but the smaller QX60 crossover and Q50 sedan. Though the platform dates back to 2010, it seems Infiniti doesn't want to spoil a good thing. Competition like the Mercedes-Benz GLS-class, Cadillac Escalade, and Lexus LX are about as old as the current QX80. While most new models are more refined than their predecessors, Infiniti Motor Company President Roland Krueger says it should drive about the same as the current model. While the V8 will carry over, Krueger didn't rule out the possibility of a smaller turbocharged V6 for the future. Also carrying over will be the independent, self-leveling rear suspension, though neither the QX80 or Armada get some of the Patrol's really good off-road components. Since there isn't much going on beyond the skin, expect a short development cycle and a full debut sometime this fall. Related Video: News Source: Motor Trend Design/Style Infiniti SUV infiniti qx80 infiniti qx80 monograph

Infiniti QX80 Monograph: Not just luxury, 'upscale luxury'

We've been getting a slow rollout of news about the new Infiniti QX80 Monograph mega-SUV for the past week or two, and Infiniti provided more details Tuesday about its concept car at the New York Auto Show, saying the mega-SUV is a combination of "luxury with a commanding presence" and "the ultimate expression of futuristic luxury SUV design." Infiniti says the car embodies, not just luxury, but "upscale luxury." The company says the concept's design language incorporates a mix of geometric and organic shapes, including character lines and aluminum trim that were actually intended to make the big SUV appear even bigger than it actually is, which is more than five meters long, so perhaps 17 feet, more than 6 feet wide and about 6 feet tall. The most striking features are the headlamps, which become long, slender lines that wrap around the front corners, then taper into light bars that end at the doors in sculptured rear-view cameras in lieu of side mirrors. The car also has large, functional fender vents to divert air to the engine, and despite all that luxury it is still SUV enough to have an underbody cover protecting the underside - and improving aerodynamics. Likewise, an aerofoil between the tailpipes is said to improve airflow in the SUV's wake. It's a big, beautiful rig. Cue the beauty roll above and gallery below: View 12 Photos Related Video: Related Gallery Infiniti QX80 Monograph View 15 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com Design/Style New York Auto Show Infiniti SUV Luxury 2017 new york auto show infiniti qx80 infiniti qx80 monograph

Hyundai, Genesis, Subaru warn their dealers about markups

Six weeks ago, word got out that Ford's VP of sales for the U.S. and Canada wrote one of those "It has come to our attention..." e-mails to the automaker's dealer body. The VP's problem was dealers trying to get reservation deposits for the Ford F-150 Lightning well above the official $100 fee. The tomfoolery resulted in interactions "with customers in a manner that is negatively impacting customer satisfaction and damaging to the Ford Motor Company brand and Dealer Body reputation." Two weeks later, GM told its dealers to cut out the reservation gaming and the markups on the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, banditry that's been going on for two years. Two weeks ago, Ford was back at it, this time about markups on the Bronco. Last week, Asian automakers swept into the melee, with Hyundai and Genesis, Subaru, and Infiniti writing letters to their dealers to deliver some variant of, "Stop pissing off the customers." Automotive News reported an SVP at Hyundai Motor America and the COO at Genesis Motor North America sent letters to their dealers expressing disappointment at "certain pricing practices which, if left unchecked, will have a negative impact on the health of our brand." One of the practices mentioned was dealer markups, another was the bait-and-switch, with dealers advertising one price then charging a higher price once the customer showed up at the lot. The letters acknowledged that dealers are separate companies to the automakers and have the right to set their own prices. The automakers cannot interfere with that; their leverage is distributing allocations and perks such as advertising support and financial incentives. So, like a movie boss letting the protagonist go on a technicality, the brands wrote, "we cannot stand idly by watching the actions of the aforementioned dealers undo all the efforts we collectively have put into making these brands what they are today." Jalopnik got tipped to a letter Subaru of America CEO Thomas Doll sent to that brand's dealers. Doll's polite yet insistent tone was the result of a letter a loyal Subaru owner sent to the automaker's VP of Customer Advocacy. In the market for a third brand-new Forester, the owner said they encountered a "tax" labeled a "Low Inventory Surcharge" of as much as $6,000, putting the Forester out of reach.