If you’re like us, you have fond memories of the Infiniti FX crossover series. They really were pioneers, precursors to what we’re seeing in the performance crossover-coupe space today. They had long hoods, cab-rearward profiles and even special editions tied in with race car drivers from back when the company was involved with Red Bull F1. They were mostly only made in Japan, they looked cool, they sounded great and they were a pleasant departure from the vanilla – and then, come 2017, the FX was gone.
Fast-forward to the present at The Quail at Pebble Beach and original Infiniti performance crossover is back – sort of. It’s now called the QX65 Monograph (adopting the nomenclature used by all new Infiniti concepts), and it’s the latest Infiniti model to get the brand’s new “Artistry in Motion” design language, characterized by the bamboo-style grille, big wheels pushed far to the corners of the body and a sense of motion even when at stop. In profile, it’s not quite as low and aggressive as the FX was (it is, after all, based on the much larger QX60 three-row crossover), but you can definitely see the inspiration in the rear window angle and aggressive roofline.
Other neat details include the full-width taillight bar, ultra-narrow headlight lenses and 22-inch wheels with “twisted” spokes. It’s all finished in a new Twilight purple paintjob – anybody who knows anything about Infiniti’s Nissan parent company knows how significant the colour purple has been throughout its performance car history.
Infiniti hasn’t shared much info regarding the interior, but they have said it will be a two-row crossover. There are no powertrain specs, either, but we expect that if it were to come to market, it would use the VC-Turbo four-cylinder engine currently being used in the QX55 and QX60.
Watch this space.
QX80 Gets a Boost
You just knew it was going to happen. Only a few short weeks after Nissan pulled the cover off the mental Armada NISMO edition, Infiniti came to The Quail with the two new takes on the Armada’s QX80 cousin, one of which gets the eyebrow-raising “Track Spec” moniker. The QX80 Track Spec takes the Armada’s 460 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque twin-turbo V6 and raises it almost 200 hp to 650 and over 200 lb-ft to 750. That’s some pretty crazy talk, all backed up by specialized body panels, 24” wheels shrouding enlarged Brembo brakes and quad exhaust tips. Sign us up!
If low and fast isn’t your cup o’ green tea and you’re more inclined to take things high and slow, then the QX80 Terrain concept may be more up your alley. This factory-specced overlanding rig gets a taller ride height, knobby off-road tires plus increased fender and front-rear fascia protection. Of course any overlander worth its salt has some living quarters, so there’s a tent mounted on the roof just behind a lightbar and limb risers. It’s all wrapped in a dark basalt vinyl wrap. Infiniti also fitted the invisible hood view, so you can better see what’s approaching as you rumble forward.