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Infiniti QX80 to spearhead new direction for Nissan's luxury brand

Infiniti has had a tumultuous time in the last few years. However, a new plan is under way to revive Nissan's luxury marque, and to give it some much-needed direction. Now, Infiniti chairman Peyman Kargar has detailed his plans for the first time, and revealed that the QX80 will be at the vanguard of this new push. Left to languish under former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn's quest for market share at the cost of all else, Infiniti's lineup failed to receive the necessary updates in several hotly contested segments. In a time when the luxury brands have seen record profits, Infiniti has instead seen its sales plummet. In 2018 the brand was among the first to announce a date by which it would "go electric." That was taken by many to mean solely electric or hybrid vehicles after 2021, but that time has come and gone. Infiniti missed its own deadline for a first EV model last year, and sales have nosedived by more than 50 percent since 2019 (117,708 in U.S. sales in 2019, versus 58,553 in 2021). Part of that is due to the  pandemic and resulting semiconductor shortage that's plagued the entire industry, but there's no doubt that the brand is seldom uttered in the same breath as Mercedes, BMW, Lexus or Audi. Speaking with Automotive News, Kargar outlined a three-phase plan to get Infiniti back on its feet. The first phase, focusing on restructuring and recovery, was just completed in March. Infiniti has now turned record profits globally, Kargar said.  Phase two has now begun and will play out through March 2026. By this time next year, designers will have locked in a new corporate face to take over on all new models. Leading the charge with that identity will be a new QX80 that arrives in late 2023 or early 2024.  Kargar didn't disclose details, but called it the future flagship of the marque. It will have enhanced performance specs to distance itself from the Nissan Armada on which it is based. Infiniti hopes that the QX will be seen as a competitor against the likes of the Cadillac Escalade Lexus LX, and Range Rover. Despite riding on the same platform as the Patrol — a Land Cruiser-like body-on-frame SUV — since 2010, the QX has not fallen in sales as much as other models. Part of the rebranding also includes a unification of Infiniti's identity. Kargar spoke of a new dealership look and feel, which includes a "brand scent" for showrooms and a "sound signature" that will tie in apps, websites, and call centers.

Infiniti Q50 BTCC ready to race

A few months ago, Infiniti announced it would field its Q50 sedan (or a racing derivative thereof) in the British Touring Car Championship, and now the Japanese automaker has revealed the tin-top racer in its final form as it prepares to roll onto the grid. Like the rest of the BTCC field, the Q50 racer is based on the series Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) regulations. That means it's based on the production model, and not on a control chassis (like the one you'd find in NASCAR) done up to look like the showroom version. It also means a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine driving upwards of 300 horsepower through an Xtrac six-speed sequential gearbox with AP Racing clutch, throttle by wire and the manufacturer's choice of front- or rear-wheel drive, the latter of which we assume Infiniti has chosen for its touring car. Two examples of the Q50 BTCC will be fielded by Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing, a non-profit venture with proceeds (assuming there are any) going towards the British paratroopers' charity. The team is being run by Derek Palmer Sr, whose son Derek Jr will drive one, with the other piloted by Richard Hawken, and injured paratroopers filling out the pit crew and support staff. The Infiniti Q50 BTCC will be showcased on the Dunlop stand at the Autosport International show in Birmingham this weekend. NEW Q50 BTCC LIVERY AT AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL SHOW Wednesday, 7 January 2015 The recently announced 'Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing' team, which will contest the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship this season, will unveil a new livery for its two NGTC Infiniti Q50 race cars at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham later this week. The new livery on the Q50, being displayed on the Dunlop stand, has been designed by Infiniti's own design team in Paddington London, further enhancing the ongoing partnership of Infiniti with the Mallory Park-based team, which will employ injured ex-Paratroopers to prepare both race cars. Simon Cox, Infiniti Design Director from Infiniti Design London, said "The new Q50 race car livery was developed to contrast against the traditional branding schemes normally associated with the BTCC grid. However, it still retains a high level of visibility, reflecting both the dynamic qualities of the Infiniti Brand along with the performance and striking contours of the Q50 road car.

2020 Infiniti QX80 refreshes its cabin, adds tech and safety features

After performing a nip-tuck on the Infiniti QX80's sheetmetal for the 2018 model year, designers have massaged the QX80's interior for 2020. The driver's cluster keeps the analog gauges but loses the previous, low-res digital information screen. A new seven-inch TFT display is tucked between the dials. The infotainment spread on the center console finally gets the real estate it deserves, an eight-inch touchscreen up top with a seven-inch touchscreen below. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, as is Wi-Fi hotspot capability. Above all that, the rear view mirror went to school to become the Smart Rear View Mirror, meaning it can operate as the usual reflective surface or as a monitor for the rear-mounted camera feed. It's an option on the entry Luxe trim, standard on the top Limited trim. New standard safety features on both variants include backup collision intervention, blind-spot warning, lane departure warning, and rear door alert. On the aesthetic side, a new Charcoal Burl wood interior trim with gradation joins two new premium exterior colors, Coulis Red and Mineral Black. For more intense ornamentation, Infiniti offers the Edition 30 package for 2020 with a black mesh grille and dark chrome trim on the front fascia, black mirror caps, more dark chrome on the tailgate finisher, stainless steel kickplates, and 22-inch dark wheels with black center caps. It's possible engineers will turn to the engine for the next update cycle. For now, the QX80 continues with the 5.6-liter V8 putting out 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, shifting through a seven-speed automatic. It's a thirsty lump, the first version of the VK56VD engine hitting the market in the Infiniti Q45 of 2002, but QX80 fuel economy is in the ballpark with other full-sized, V8 competition.  As has happened for the past few years, prices go up for both trims. The Luxe starts at $66,750, a $1,250 bump over 2019. The destination charge also rose by $100 to $1,395; adding that brings the total to a $68,145. Opting for 4WD on the Luxe remains a $3,100 option. MSRP on the Limited goes up by $1,250 as well, totaling $92,845 after destination. Related Video: