Nissan’s all-new Y63 Patrol won’t be as blocky as its predecessor, as you can see from its luxury sibling
The new Y63 Nissan Patrol is on its way and our spy photographers have just snapped the first images of its upmarket American sibling, the 2024 Infiniti QX80.
Unsurprisingly, the QX80 prototype was covered by dense camouflage as it made its way around metropolitan Detroit, but not enough to mask the new proportions, key body lines or styling cues of the Japanese luxury brand’s new flagship SUV.
Available in Australia until 2020, when Nissan axed its premium brand Down Under, the previous Infiniti QX80 shared almost all of its sheetmetal with the existing Y62 Patrol, which is sold in North America as the Nissan Armada – a new generation of which is due to be launched with V6 power in the US later this year.
These spy shots show the new QX80’s basic silhouette will be reasonably similar to the Y62 Patrol’s when viewed from the side, but it’s evident the Y63 won’t quite be as blocky as its predecessor, thanks to a ‘faster’ D-pillar and tailgate, crested by an integrated roof spoiler.
Other clear exterior design changes include a new accentuated hip line, less prominent bumpers front and rear, raised tail-lights, new mirrors, bigger second-row windows and flush-fitting door-handles.
Up front, it’s immediately apparent the new model will have a refreshed version of Nissan’s familiar V-shape grille design, flanked by new headlights and daytime running lights, plus revised air intakes and wing vents.
The new QX80’s front-end is still oversized in classic flagship luxury SUV fashion, but you can be sure Nissan will ditch this on the next Patrol in order to prioritise its approach angle and off-road capability over opulence.
As mentioned above, the new model’s rear bumper has been downsized and doesn’t stick out anywhere near as much as the current version’s, but it also now houses the number plate, meaning there’s an all-new tailgate design hiding under that camo wrap.
We can also see a crisp new rear lighting signature mounted higher up than before, matching the blocky design of the front end.
The new Infiniti QX80 and its Nissan Patrol/Armada siblings are anticipated to ride on an overhauled version of their current ladder-frame platform, this time powered by a downsized twin-turbo petrol V6.
Specifics are sorely missing but it’s more than likely the new donk will at least match the current 5.6-litre V8 for power (298kW) and outstrip it on torque (560Nm), especially at the lower end of its rev-range.
Toyota made the same move when it replaced the 200 Series LandCruiser with the 300 Series. However, it has stuck with diesel power and there’s little to no hope of a diesel QX80 or Patrol given both models are aimed primarily at petrol markets like the Middle East and Russia.
The new Nissan Armada/Patrol is due to break cover late this year in the US, followed by the new Infiniti QX80 in 2024.
Before then, Nissan Australia will launch the Premcar-enhanced Y62 Patrol Warrior, which is likely to be the most capable and expensive factory Patrol variant ever offered Down Under.
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Keyword: New Nissan Patrol hiding under Infiniti QX80 camo