The most potent QX80 was first expected to arrive around 2027. Infiniti is said to target roughly 600 units of this SUV each year. A more aggressive body kit should help it stand out visually. Infiniti is bringing a flagship performance version of the QX80 to the market much earlier than expected, confirming its Cadillac Escalade-V fighter will launch before the end of this year. The company unveiled two dramatic, high-powered QX80 concepts last year, signaling its plans to build an SUV with more power than any before it. The first of these concepts was badged the QX80 Track Spec, installed with an upgraded 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 churning out over 650 hp and 750 lb-ft (1,016 Nm) of torque. Read: Infiniti Is Preparing a 600 HP QX80, But That Might Only Be A Warm Up Just a few months later, Infiniti followed up that model with the QX80 R-Spec. This even more insane take on the QX80 had the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 as the GT-R, tuned to produce over 1,000 hp. Unsurprisingly, it’s not this model that Infiniti will sell to customers, but rather the Track Spec version. What Can We Expect? Infiniti QX80 Track Spec “The twin turbo V6 is already in there,” Nissan senior vice president and chief product and planning officer Ponz Pandikuthira said. “But then that performance is now enhanced to north of 600 horsepower, and that version will come out this calendar year,” he told CarBuzz. As we revealed earlier this year, this version of the QX80 may revive the Red Sport nameplate, injecting some excitement back into Infiniti’s family of models. If the production model has the same basic specs as the concept, it’ll have distinct turbochargers and a new exhaust, lifting power well beyond the standard model’s 450 hp and 516 lb-ft (699 Nm), as promised by Pandikuthira. More Than A Powerful Engine Infiniti QX80 R-Spec Infiniti may also be wise to bring many of the Track Spec’s exterior revisions to the market. That concept boasted a distinctive front splitter, flared wheel arches, and new side skirts. Added at the rear were quad exhausts and a special diffuser. Infiniti also equipped the Track Spec with 24-inch wheels and Brembo brakes. With north of 600 hp, Infiniti will have to ensure the brakes of the production version are up to the task. Nevertheless, it may prove challenging for some to actually get their hands on this new QX80. According to a recent report, Infiniti plans to sell only around 600 examples annually in the US, with allocations to dealerships based on their current QX80 sales. So, in addition to being a powerful beast, it could be a rare one, too.
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