Introduced into production in 2004, the QX56 was named as such after the 5.6-liter V8 hiding under the hood. Twinned with the Nissan Armada, which is alternately known as the Patrol in other markets, the QX56 was redesigned in 2010 for the 2011 model year on the very same platform.
Renamed QX80 in 2013 for the 2014 model year, Infiniti’s body-on-frame utility vehicle was facelifted twice thus far. Retail sales dropped to 12,572 units in 2021, and the premium-oriented automaker knows that something has to change for the third generation of the full-size SUV.
Expected in late 2023 or early 2024, the third-generation QX80 will start Infiniti’s makeover according to chairman Peyman Kargar. “This car will be the flagship of the company,” he told Automotive News. A near-production concept, apparently inspired by the QX80 Monograph from April 2017, will preview Infiniti's new exterior design language.
Kargar didn’t mention any kind of hybrid assistance or electric propulsion, which is good news for prospective customers. However, a Nissan dealer previously told Automotive News that a twin-turbo V6 is going under the hood of the next-generation Armada. The VR30DDTT in the Nissan Z is one possibility, although 3.0 liters of displacement isn’t good enough for such a heavy vehicle. Toyota and Ford also use twin-turbo V6 engines in their full-size trucks and SUVs, which is why this rumor holds water.
The QX80 will be followed by an electric sedan that’s expected to replace the gray-haired Q50. An electric crossover may arrive shortly thereafter, followed by an entry-level crossover and a coupe-styled crossover. By the end of this decade, Nissan’s premium division expects the majority of its sales to come from battery-electric vehicles. Pretty shocking, right?
It's not as shocking as Ford’s BEV target for Europe, though. Last February, the Dearborn-based pledged 100 percent electric passenger vehicles by 2030 in the Old Continent. Commercial vehicles are expected to follow suit in 2035, when Europe’s ban on new ICE vehicles is expected to go into effect.
Expected in late 2023 or early 2024, the third-generation QX80 will start Infiniti’s makeover according to chairman Peyman Kargar. “This car will be the flagship of the company,” he told Automotive News. A near-production concept, apparently inspired by the QX80 Monograph from April 2017, will preview Infiniti's new exterior design language.
Kargar didn’t mention any kind of hybrid assistance or electric propulsion, which is good news for prospective customers. However, a Nissan dealer previously told Automotive News that a twin-turbo V6 is going under the hood of the next-generation Armada. The VR30DDTT in the Nissan Z is one possibility, although 3.0 liters of displacement isn’t good enough for such a heavy vehicle. Toyota and Ford also use twin-turbo V6 engines in their full-size trucks and SUVs, which is why this rumor holds water.
The QX80 will be followed by an electric sedan that’s expected to replace the gray-haired Q50. An electric crossover may arrive shortly thereafter, followed by an entry-level crossover and a coupe-styled crossover. By the end of this decade, Nissan’s premium division expects the majority of its sales to come from battery-electric vehicles. Pretty shocking, right?
It's not as shocking as Ford’s BEV target for Europe, though. Last February, the Dearborn-based pledged 100 percent electric passenger vehicles by 2030 in the Old Continent. Commercial vehicles are expected to follow suit in 2035, when Europe’s ban on new ICE vehicles is expected to go into effect.