The automaker’s near-term product highway map has it pushing into new markets.
Global design boss Albaisa and Infiniti model design head Taisuke Nakamura confirmed off a redesigned QX80 SUV, a brand new two-row gasoline-powered midsize crossover and a pair of battery-powered fashions.
The third-generation QX80 arrives subsequent summer season carrying a $100,000-plus sticker and ambitions of poaching enterprise from Cadillac and Lincoln. Infiniti instructed sellers it expects about 75 % of the big SUV’s consumers to be new to the model.
“They are targeting people who make $250,000-plus a year and have at least $1 million net worth,” mentioned a retailer who requested to not be recognized.
But for Infiniti — a premium model within the loosest sense — chasing Cadillac consumers could be extra aspirational than life like.
“We have a tough road ahead,” the supplier mentioned. “Consumers with this budget have a lot of other options.”
The new QX80 will commerce a thirsty eight-cylinder engine for a fuel-efficient twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine that pumps out 450 hp.
The three-row SUV is beefier than its predecessor, with the blocky proportions of a Range Rover. It debuts a outstanding grille, recessed door handles and slim “piano-key”-designed headlights and taillights. An air suspension system mechanically adjusts peak for straightforward ingress and egress.
Its cabin blends minimalism with luxurious — one supplier described the inside as “Mercedes-Maybach GLS-like.”
A sweeping 24-inch show stretches the size of the dashboard, and there are entrance and rear touchscreens for local weather management. Dealers mentioned that second- and third-row passengers will take pleasure in the identical roominess and seat consolation as these within the entrance.
The QX80 will come loaded with connectivity, security and driver-assist expertise worthy of a flagship. In-cabin sensors can detect occupants’ physique temperature and alter the air-con mechanically.
In mid-2025, Infiniti will chase a unique nook of the luxurious market when it debuts a two-row midsize crossover. The QX65 — its first new nameplate since 2021 — has eyes on the Lexus RX, which bought greater than 96,000 automobiles final yr.
Built on Infiniti’s bestselling QX60 platform, the coupe-like QX65 ditches the boxy styling of its three-row sibling, sporting as an alternative a sharply raked rear window, protruding shark fin-like taillights and the QX80’s massive grille.
Source: www.autonews.com