2008 Infiniti G37 Journey on 2040-cars

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2025 Infiniti QX80 confirmed with 450-hp twin-turbo V6, 50 hp more than now

Infiniti's back to tease the 2025 QX80 that debuts in 15 days. Automaker executive Ivan Espinoza starts by telling us what we already knew, the ancient 5.6-liter V8 gets sent packing by a 3.5-liter V6. Espinoza calls it "all-new," but this is in reference to the application. Parent company Nissan loves itself a TTV6, the GT-R given the codename VR38DETT, the new Nissan Z's version codenamed VR30DDTT, the same mill formerly serving the Infiniti Q50 and Q60. The 3.5-liter displacement in the QX80 means its engine can be expected to be called the VR35DDTT. We've got output numbers at last, those being 450 horsepower and 515 pound-feet of torque, improvements of 50 hp and guaranteed-to-feel-it 102 lb-ft. That outdoes the closest Japanese competition, the Lexus LX that gets 409 hp and 479 lb-ft from its TTV6. The 2025 QX80 is going to shift through a nine-speed automatic gearbox, the two additional cogs over today's seven-speed providing a 40% wider range of ratios. Owners are going to get more performance down low and efficiency up high. Doubling up on the efficiency, engineers added active grille shutters to reduce drag when massive cooling isn't needed. Espinoza also cites "a new chassis and larger frame," however, the QX80 is expected to ride on an updated version of the current SUV's body-on-frame platform, Nissan's F-Alpha that once served the Pathfinder and Titan, plus the erstwhile QX56, and still serves the Nissan Frontier. The evolution yields 57% more lateral stiffness and 25% more torsional rigidity. A new electronic air suspension with active damping keeps the hardened cage from becoming a punishment. We get our best, albeit very brief, looks at the interior as well. The four-spoke wheel is now a two-spoke wheel, a la Genesis. The digital gauge cluster and separate infotainment binnacle morphed into what looks like a single, uncovered widescreen (composed of two or more screens), akin to what we've seen in several electric vehicles like the Kia EV9 and Honda e. The restraint and subtlety in these snippets matches what's been done to the exterior, so far as we can see. The livestreamed reveal happens March 20, expect a Monograph Concept plus some flourishes. A week later, we'll get up close and personal for the 2025 QX80's public debut at the New York Auto Show.

Assessing Sebastian Vettel's first 100 days as Infiniti's director of performance

Whenever a new US president is elected, we know to expect a performance review as soon as he (or she) has spent 100 days in office. Sebastian Vettel, arguably given a job that is more important to Infiniti than the US president, has been the brand's director of performance for one hundred revolutions of The Blue Marble, and Infiniti has put together a videographic glimpse of his work at Paul Ricard, in the US and England.
We probably won't really get a grip on the full results of his efforts for a while - we doubt that he's been in his post long enough to significantly alter the trajectory of the Q50 sedan, for instance. But then again, Infiniti insists he's been integral to the car's dynamics development regime, suggesting he's been working as a test driver for some time before these 100 days. Of course, Vettel is a race car driver and brand ambassador first and foremost, but when he tells a Q50 engineer that "For the future, I think it's more comfortable to have the shift paddles on the steering wheel," we get the sense that he won't hesitate to suggest changes in forthcoming products. Check out more of his inputs in the video below as well as a press release detailing his visit to the tech center in Cranfield, UK.

Formula One speeds towards radical thousand-horsepower shakeup

The teams, the drivers, the fans, the circuits... few, if any, were satisfied with how Formula One has shaped up since the current regulations took hold last year. But that doesn't mean they aren't working on it. At a recent meeting of the F1 Strategy Group, the leading parties in the sport outlined a new framework that would radically shake up the cars themselves while keeping costs in check. And the biggest change could see the engines producing around 1,000 horsepower. Although a proposal put forth by Ferrari to ditch the current V6 hybrid engines in favor of new twin-turbocharged units was rejected by Honda and Mercedes, the members of the group approved in principal to increase the fuel flow in the existing engines to dramatically boost output. As it stands, the current 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engines develop around 600 horsepower, with an additional 160 or so kicked in by the electric Energy Recovery System, for a combined output of about 760 hp. What's not clear at the moment is whether the increased fuel flow would necessitate either the return of mid-race refueling (currently banned) or the installation of larger fuel tanks. Red Bull and McLaren also submitted proposals to radically redesign the shape of the cars as well, however a more evolutionary approach was adopted instead. Though far from finalized, the new design would keep the same basic form of the current chassis, but with adjustments to make them more aesthetically pleasing while producing more downforce. Wider tires are also said to be part of the mix. With more power and more grip from the tires and aero, the resulting cars would most certainly end up going much faster than the current ones, which are already starting to nudge the lap records at some of the circuits, many of which were set during the V10 era. The F1 Strategy Group is made up of representatives of the FIA, Formula One Management and six leading teams. The next step will be for the teams' technical directors to iron out how to implement what their bosses have agreed to. If they settle the details fast enough, the revised regulations could be pushed through in time for next season. News Source: AutosportImage Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Motorsports Ferrari Honda Infiniti McLaren Mercedes-Benz F1