Care to guess which is the least fuel-efficient vehicle in the Infiniti lineup for model year 2024? The answer is QX80, a body-on-frame sport utility vehicle with Armada underpinnings and oily bits.
The Z62 rolled out in 2010 for the 2011 model year as the Infiniti QX56, with 56 standing for 5.6-liter V8. Said engine is obviously shared with the Armada, which launched for the 2004 model year with the VK56DE version of the free-breathing V8. Nissan ultimately leveled up to the more efficient VK56VD, but 16 miles per gallon (14.7 liters per 100 kilometers) with 2WD is anything but frugal.
That's going to change for MY25, though. Infiniti confirmed the switch to a twin-turbo V6 that displaces 3.5 liters. Codenamed VR35DDT, said powerplant joins the VR30DDTT of the Nissan Z and the VR38DETT of the GT-R. For the QX80, the numbers are 450 horsepower and 515 pound-feet (698 Nm), representing increases of 50 horsepower and 102 pound-feet (138 Nm) over the V8 lump.
Toyota downsized from a large V8 to a sixer as well. But as opposed to Nissan, the 3.4-liter V6 of the Sequoia features a hybrid setup. The V35A-FTS also powers the Tundra full-size pickup, in which case it develops 389 hp and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm). In other words, the VR35DDT is that bit punchier.
Infiniti has also confirmed a new transmission for the QX80, namely a nine-speed automatic with a 40% wider gear ratio range compared to the outgoing seven-speed automatic. The attached press release doesn't mention JATCO and Mercedes-Benz, which is a bit curious because the JR913E is a slightly modified 9G-Tronic produced by JATCO under license from the German automaker.
Photo: Infiniti
To date, Nissan has deployed the JR913E in a unibody (the Z sports car) and two pickup trucks (the mid-sized Frontier and full-sized Titan). Internally referred to as Z63, the all-new Infiniti QX80 further sweetens the deal with active front grille shutters for improved fuel economy, a 57% increase in lateral stiffness, and a 25% increase in torsional rigidity.
Infiniti senior vice president of global product strategy and product planning Ivan Espinosa promises a serenely quiet cabin. A decibel meter's readings would have been much better than a promise, but given the sheer difference in age between the Z62 and Z63, there's no denying the newcomer is the quieter vehicle of the two. It should also handle better, for Infiniti advertises the 2025 model with available Electronic Air Suspension and something called Dynamic Digital Suspension.
EAS is programmed to lower the QX80 while parked to make it easier to enter and load/unload luggage. DDS, on the other hand, reduces body motion for more confidence in the twisties and superior ride quality in pretty much every driving scenario there is.
To be revealed on March 20, the 2025 Infiniti QX80 will be presented in the flesh at the 2024 New York International Auto Show. The order books will open sometime this coming summer, meaning that the first examples should be delivered in the fall.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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