INFINITI QX80 R-Spec Breaks Cover at SEMA

Infiniti has reimagined its flagship luxury SUV as a 1,000-horsepower super-SUV with the debut of the QX80 R-Spec at the 2025 SEMA Show. Combining the refinement of the new-generation QX80 with the heart of a GT-R, this bold build shows just how far Infiniti’s performance engineering can go when creativity takes the wheel.

The one-off R-Spec is powered by a heavily modified version of the GT-R’s VR38DETT twin-turbo V6, tuned to produce an astonishing four-figure output. The engine features custom turbochargers, intercoolers, exhaust manifolds, and an upgraded fuel system, making it capable of delivering power numbers usually reserved for dedicated track machines. It’s a nod to the QX80’s engineering roots, the standard model’s twin-turbo V6 shares key design principles with the same GT-R engine that defined Nissan’s performance legacy.

“QX80 R-Spec is extreme, aggressive and a showcase of what Infiniti can do when our engineering and design teams take off all the guardrails,” said Tiago Castro, vice president, Infiniti Americas. “We challenged ourselves to explore an even more extreme direction for QX80 as we redefine the future of luxury, where visceral performance meets incomparable refinement.”

Performance upgrades extend beyond the powertrain. The R-Spec borrows carbon-ceramic brakes from the GT-R, extensively modified to suit the SUV’s dimensions, while a custom three-way coilover suspension with Eibach springs and bespoke steering components fine-tunes handling. Massive 24-inch bronze wheels, styled after those found on the GT-R, fill the widened arches and are wrapped in 315-section Yokohama PARADA Spec-X tires for maximum grip.

Visually, the QX80 R-Spec commands attention. The SUV wears a wide-body kit with functional aero elements, a lower stance, and a striking Midnight Purple color-shifting wrap, a direct homage to the GT-R T-Spec Takumi Edition. Revised diffusers, exhaust finishers, and fog lights add further aggression, creating a connection between INFINITI’s most luxurious vehicle and Nissan’s most iconic performance car.

The concept follows the QX80 Track Spec, which debuted earlier this year at Monterey Car Week with more than 650 horsepower. But while that build hinted at Infiniti’s performance potential, the R-Spec removes all limits, a “what-if” experiment that bridges GT-R power with full-size SUV luxury.

The all-new 2025 QX80 has already earned widespread recognition, including a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS, a Best of What’s New Award from Popular Science, and interior accolades from multiple North American media associations. With R-Spec, Infiniti makes a statement that its flagship SUV can be both a sanctuary and a storm.

Whether it remains a one-off or signals a future high-performance direction, the message is clear: luxury and power are no longer opposites, they’re partners in performance.