Two cylinders less, but no less impressive
The enormous Infiniti QX80 is the most American product that Nissan’s luxury brand has in its North American range, but also the oldest. For the first time in fourteen years, a completely new QX80 is ready.
Infiniti has not been active in the Netherlands for years, but don’t worry: even if it were, we never got to see the QX80 here from the official importer. This giant SUV is very American in everything except its name, although these types of cars usually do quite well in the richer parts of the Middle East. The Infiniti QX80, like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition, is a body-on-frame SUV and is therefore comparable in design to, for example, a pickup. Yet it is certainly not an off-road vehicle, but a luxurious mastodon that must offer a lot of space and comfort.
The last version of Infiniti’s largest SUV appeared in 2010, although it was still called QX56. The name ‘QX80’ appeared on the same car in 2013 and several facelifts could not prevent the years from counting for this now fourteen-year-old mastodon. There is also a slightly less luxurious version with the impressive name Nissan Armada, because Infiniti is to Nissan what Lexus is to Toyota. Anyone who has ever been to the United Arab Emirates has undoubtedly encountered the same Nissan there as Nissan Patrol. Undoubtedly, because that Patrol is very popular there. The Armada and the Patrol have not yet been updated, but that will undoubtedly follow.
The all-new QX80, like its predecessor, makes no effort to hide its gigantic proportions, but it does look a lot sleeker than before. The new Infiniti QX80 is 5.36 meters long, 2.12 wide and 1.95 meters high. The interior offers space for seven or eight people, with the third row of seats in both cases being a three-seater sofa. A small revolution is taking place under the hood, as the 5.6-liter V8 of the outgoing model makes way for a 3.5-liter V6 with two turbos. With 450 hp and 701 Nm, it delivers considerably more power and torque than before, but it is of course different in character with two fewer cylinders and two more turbos. More economical? Well, probably mostly in theory. The engine is linked to a nine-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels or to all wheels, depending on the version. Air suspension is available as an option for maximum comfort, which is nice.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl