Infiniti is gearing up for the long-awaited debut of the all-new QX80, set to become the brand’s flagship model. The carmaker has confirmed that the unveiling will take place on March 20, with the 2025MY QX80 making its first public appearance the following month at the 2024 New York International Auto Show that runs from March 29, through Sunday, April 7. Today, it confirmed that the next QX will drop the naturally aspirated V8 for a twin-turbo V6,. Leading up to the world premiere, Infiniti plans to release several teasers of the QX80, which was previewed by the near-production QX Monograph concept last year. “Before new models are revealed, they are typically hidden behind camouflage to obscure details,” said Alfonso Albaisa, senior vice president for Global Design. “But, we believe the all-new QX80 is too extraordinary to keep completely hidden.”

Infiniti’s giant QX80 SUV was launched 20 years ago as the QX56, and while the name has changed, one thing hasn’t: the biggest QX has always been among the ugliest SUVs you can buy. But the third-generation model Nissan’s upscale brand is getting ready to reveal has clearly had enough of looking like a rolling Victorian freak show and is bringing some real style to the table. Style? Okay, let’s just check ourselves there, because there’s only so much a designer can do when told to package a vehicle that the engineering department has already decreed must be shaped like a 1970s school bus. But last year’s QX80 Monograph Concept introduced us to a QX that was boxy, brutalist, and undeniably cool at the same time. And judging by these latest spy shots the production version is all but identical.

 

There are definitely some strong Range Rover influences going on with the new QX’s styling that give it a modern look. Adding to the contemporary feel are the flush door handles and split light arrangement that places the DRLs in a thin strip at the top of the fender and the real headlights some way down the same panel. Ditching the kink in the D-pillar (this car uses camo to hide the new design) helps make the SUV look less heavy around the rear, and the new grille is meant to look like bamboo shoots. But it’s not like Infiniti has thrown everything from the outgoing model away. Common themes like the vents in the front fender are carried across. What won’t be carried over is the current QX’s 5.6-liter naturally-aspirated V8, which gives way to a new twin-turbo V6 that promises to be more fuel efficient.

The VR35DDT, a familiar engine found in other Nissan group models, is a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 rated at 450 horsepower and 515 lb-ft of torque, marking increases of 50 horsepower and 102 lb-ft compared to the current 5.6-liter V8. This powertrain is paired with a new 9-speed automatic transmission, replacing the previous 7-speed unit, and offering a 40% wider gear ratio range. Additionally, Infiniti has announced that the new QX will feature active grille shutters to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve fuel efficiency during highway driving. The redesign also rolls out a newly available Electronic Air Suspension with adaptive damping, known as Dynamic Digital Suspension, which automatically lowers when the vehicle is parked to facilitate easier entry, loading, or unloading of luggage.

We’re still waiting to get a glimpse of the interior as the above single image teaser doesn’t really show much, but we do know it will feature a high-end Klipsch audio system with 24 speakers, titanium tweeters, an eight-inch subwoofer, and of course, a 24-channel amplifier. With the official debut set for next month, the QX80 is expected to go on sale in North America either in late summer or early fall. Prices are likely to start at around US$ 80,000, and like the outgoing SUV, it’ll be battling over customers with rivals that range from BMW’s X7 to the Cadillac Escalade, and the Lincoln Navigator for customers’ attention.