Infiniti will use next week’s 2023 Monterey Car Week to present a concept previewing both a new design language and the next-generation QX80.
Infiniti’s current design language can be traced back to the Essence concept of 2009, but a new look is planned and we’ll see it first on the QX Monograph concept set to be revealed in Monterey. The covers will come off on Aug. 17 at an event taking place at The Lodge at Pebble Beach.
A single teaser shot released on Wednesday shows a glimpse of the new grille. A key element of the design is the Infiniti logo, which takes on a three-dimensional look to help serve as a focal point for the front of the vehicle while providing a sense of motion.
Not much is known about the next QX80, but a launch late this year or early next is thought to be planned. The arrival will mark the start of a major makeover in which Infiniti will update the design of its dealerships and prepare for the launch of electric vehicles.
Infiniti plans multiple EVs, with the first to arrive around 2025. It will be built at parent company Nissan’s plant in Canton, Mississippi, and is thought to serve as a successor to both the Q50 and former Q70 sedans.
The next QX80 will be the third iteration of Infiniti’s full-size SUV, and it won’t go down the EV route just yet. It is expected to use an updated version of Nissan’s F-Alpha body-on-frame platform, which can be traced back to the original Infiniti QX56 launched almost two decades ago.
Citing a person familiar with Infiniti’s product planning, Automotive News (subscription required) reported last year that the next QX80 will be made more upscale than the current model to help further differentiate it from the related Nissan Armada and Patrol duo, as well as provide better competition for the likes of the Cadillac Escalade and Lexus LX.
The Armada and Patrol are also expected to be redesigned together with the QX80, and word on the street is that the 5.6-liter V-8 powering the current Nissan SUVs will be swapped for a twin-turbocharged V-6 for the redesign. If accurate, the V-6 should be in the next QX80.