The Nissan Patrol may already have a Nismo variant, but its Infiniti QX80 luxury twin is set to go one step further with two hot performance grades.
As reported by Automotive News, Infiniti – which is now focused on the North American market after a failed global expansion in the 2010s – is expected to add the QX80 to its fleet of reborn Red Sport variants.
According to insiders, the first version to launch will be the QX80 Red Sport, featuring wheels up to 24 inches in diameter, red brake calipers and red badging, as well as an even more potent engine.
The twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 engine will reportedly be turned up from 336kW to 447kW, a healthy increase of about one-third over the standard QX80, while its 700Nm torque figure is also expected to rise.
This would see it exceed the 369kW power output of the Middle Eastern Nissan Patrol Nismo, though it comes up shy of the 485kW claimed figure of the QX80 Track Spec concept shown off last year.
At the time, Infiniti said it had added new turbos, fuel injectors, a better air intake and a freer-flowing exhaust to bring about the almost 50 per cent power increase, while it also was claimed to produce 1015Nm.
The report claims it could launch as soon as the end of this year, with production limited to about 600 cars a year.
While this is enough to be considered a flagship, insiders claim there is another version of the QX80 in the works, said to produce 507kW and be fitted with an “aggressive body kit, wider fender flares, [an] active exhaust for amplified sound and refined suspension tuning”.
According to Infiniti’s product marketing director, Brian Maragno, the more powerful of the QX80s would involve new partnerships, suggesting Nissan and its luxury arm are looking for outside help to develop it.
Last year, Australian firm Premcar – born out of the demise of Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV), and responsible for the Nissan Navara and Patrol Warriors – worked with Infiniti to develop the QX80 Terrain Spec concept, which was aimed at off-roading.
However, the brand’s know-how with high performance vehicles and aftermarket tuning also can’t be discounted, nor can its existing relationship with Nissan which has seen it expand the Warrior program overseas.
It’s expected the most powerful version of the Infiniti QX80 will retain its 3.5-litre V6 heart, rather than take a page out of the recent QX80 R-Spec’s book, which saw the SUV fitted with the twin-turbo 3.8-litre V6 engine from the now-defunct Nissan GT-R.
In the end, the R-Spec made almost 750kW after scoring additional upgrades, such as E Pistons, Boostline Rods, ARP rod bolts, a MoTec ECU, Garrett G-Series turbos, ETS exhaust manifolds, 2600cc injectors a Fuel Lab pump, twin intercoolers, R35 GT-R-inspired titanium exhausts, and CSF engine and transmission coolers.
At this stage, Nissan has no plans to bring Infiniti back to Australia, nor has it locked in the Patrol Nismo for a local launch, as it is exclusively made for left-hand drive markets.
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