Next Infiniti QX80 Could Arrive Without V8 Power

The Infiniti QX80 Monograph is a big and bold SUV concept that paints a pretty picture of what the big truck could look like in the future.

With exaggerated design cues and an imposing look, the truck is certainly a show-stopper. But what’s less clear about the future of the Infiniti QX80 is what could be found under the hood.

Roland Krueger, President of Infiniti Motor Company, shed some light on what could be powering the next QX80. When talking about the lessons learned from the current QX80 and the markets it is popular in, Krueger said that there’s a need for efficiency. “We need to bring the engine size down and the weight of the truck down,” he said during a roundtable discussion at the New York Auto Show, but also added that “there’s potential to use new materials that will help us bring the weight down while maintaining its size and capability.”

ALSO SEE: The Infiniti QX80 Monograph is a Private Jet for the Road

On the engine front, he brought up the idea of a potential hybrid, but also added that the truck needs off-road and towing capability, which the current vehicle offers and a hybrid might not. “Look at what’s in the Red Sport 400 vehicles with 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, it’s quite a lot,” he said, saying that the truck should feature a smaller displacement engine than the current vehicle’s 5.6-liter V8. That engine also makes 400 horsepower but is notoriously harsh on fuel usage, earning just 14 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway. A turbocharged V6 option could be a possibility for the next QX80.

2017 New York Auto Show Coverage

One option that Krueger didn’t mention is the production-ready VC Turbo engine, which is essentially a variable displacement turbocharged four-cylinder engine that features the output of a gasoline V6, but the fuel consumption of a diesel. However, with power ratings of just 268 horsepower, that might not be enough for a truck the size of the QX80.

Though the Monograph is clearly a design inspiration, we now have a clearer idea that the next-generation Infiniti QX80 will feature some new engines under the hood designed to tackle efficiency.