One of two Infiniti QX80 concept vehicles revealed in the US over the weekend was designed and engineered by the Australian automotive engineering company that also helped create the hardcore Warrior versions of the Nissan Navara ute and Patrol large SUV.
Look closely at the two detail images here and you’ll spot Premcar decals on the QX80 Terrain Spec show car, which was revealed in California on Friday at The Quail motorsport exhibition during Monterey Car Week.
Infiniti didn’t mention the Melbourne-based engineering firm in its press release, but confirmed Premcar’s involvement in the project via email.
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“Infiniti worked with Premcar to create the QX80 Terrain Spec concept, which features an elevated ride height, off-road wheels with all-terrain tyres, fender flares and a side-exit exhaust,” said an Infiniti USA spokesperson.
“It’s also equipped with a rooftop tent, limb risers, a rooftop-mounted lightbar and durable protective covers over the lower front and rear fascias.”
And when contacted by CarExpert, Premcar CEO Bernie Quinn said: “The Premcar team is proud to have worked with Infiniti USA to create the QX80 Terrain Spec concept.”
Officially, both the Terrain Spec and Track Spec concepts are designed to “explore the wide-ranging capabilities” of the third-generation (Z63-series) QX80, which won’t be sold in Australia following the axing of Nissan’s Infiniti luxury brand locally in 2020.
However, the latest Z63 QX80 is closely related to the new Y63 Patrol that will be released Down Under in 2027, and will form the basis of another Premcar-developed Warrior off-road flagship, which should offer much of the capability previewed by the QX Terrain Spec concept also engineered by Premcar.
“I think that vehicle is ideally suited to the Warrior treatment and I can’t wait to get my hands on one,” said Mr Quinn in a recent interview with CarExpert.
In the same interview, Mr Quinn highlighted international expansion as a key area of growth for Premcar, which is now producing Patrol Warrior vehicles in and for the South African market, and the development of the Infiniti QX80 Terrain Spec is the latest example of this.
“I think the biggest opportunity that has taken my time of late is the expansion of the Warrior brand and the expansion of Premcar into other markets outside Australia,” he said.
“I’m expecting big growth in the Australian part of our business, but also the same growth, if not bigger, on some international projects.
“It’s a thrill to take our Aussie-owned and Aussie-based company out into the wide world. This is where my job gets really exciting.”
The QX80 is currently available in five grades in North America – Pure, Luxe, Sensory, Autograph and Sport – but the Terrain Spec and Track Spec concepts could preview future variants that bring enhanced off-road and on-road performance respectively.
Finished in a satin dark basalt vinyl wrap, the QX80 Terrain Spec features raised suspension, all-terrain wheels and tyres and a side-exit exhaust as per the Patrol Warrior, plus a pop-up rooftop tent and lightbar, protective body cladding including beefier fender flares, and more protective covers over the lower front and rear fascias.
These additions are said to better compliment new off-road technologies fitted to the latest QX80 including Invisible Hood View, which uses advanced image processing to project an image of what’s directly underneath the vehicle onto the in-car displays, and 3D Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection, which presents a third-person, rotating view of QX80’s surroundings.
Meantime, the QX80 Track Spec is finished in a matte metallic black-blue vinyl wrap and packs a reworked twin-turbo 3.5-litre petrol V6 that produces 50 per cent more power and torque – now over 485kW and 1015Nm respectively. Infiniti says the former figure is the highest horsepower output in the brand’s history.
The upgrades come courtesy of new turbocharger and exhaust systems including upgraded compressors, a higher-capacity intercooler, new fuel-injectors, ram-air intake and a less restrictive quad-outlet exhaust, but no internal engine modifications.
Above and below: Infiniti QX80 Track Spec concept
The Track Spec’s more powerful V6 is joined by larger Brembo brakes, larger 24-inch wheels and more aggressive bodywork including a unique front splitter, rear diffuser, rocker panels, fender vents, front air intakes and the grille from the new QX80 Sport variant.
“High performance and off-road capability are emotional entry points into how today’s drivers experience luxury,” said Infiniti Americas vice president Tiago Castro.
“QX80 Track Spec and Terrain Spec reflect two distinct client mindsets – those who crave thrilling on-road performance and those who seek confident capability far beyond the pavement.
“These concepts embody Infiniti’s new, fast-to-market mindset – one that allows us to explore what resonates most with clients while accelerating our push into the premium SUV space.”
The pair of QX80 concepts were revealed in Monterey alongside the introduction of the Infiniti QX65 Monograph concept, which the Japanese premium brand said “provides a tantalizing preview of the next new vehicle in Infiniti’s product renaissance”.