Infiniti is turning heads at the 2025 SEMA Show with one of its wildest projects yet — the QX80 R-Spec, a high-performance take on the brand’s flagship SUV powered by a heavily modified Nissan GT-R twin-turbo V6 producing up to 1,000 horsepower.
The QX80 R-Spec swaps out luxury calm for GT-R-level aggression. Under the hood sits a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 (VR38DETT) from the R35 GT-R, rebuilt with custom turbochargers, intercoolers, manifolds, and a flex-fuel system. Backed by upgraded internals, a MOTEC engine management system, and reinforced cooling, this engine has been tuned to deliver supercar-level performance in a full-size SUV.
Infiniti says the choice of the GT-R’s engine wasn’t random — the standard QX80’s twin-turbo V6 already shares some DNA with Nissan’s halo car, and this project pushes that connection to the extreme.
To keep all that power in check, the QX80 R-Spec features GT-R carbon-ceramic brakes with custom adapters and MCS three-way coilover suspension paired with Eibach ERS springs. A custom steering setup, modified knuckles, and wide 24-inch bronze GT-R-inspired wheels wrapped in 315-section Yokohama PARADA Spec-X tires help give the SUV serious cornering capability.
The QX80 R-Spec wears a custom wide-body kit inspired by the GT-R T-Spec Takumi Edition, with functional aerodynamic upgrades and a color-shifting Midnight Purple wrap that pays tribute to classic R34 and R35 GT-Rs. It rides lower and wider than the standard QX80 and features redesigned diffusers, exhaust finishers, fog lights, and badges — all meant to give it a more purposeful stance and a clear visual connection to the GT-R.
The QX80 R-Spec is not a production model, but rather a performance engineering showcase that hints at what could come from Infiniti it decided to take its SUVs into true high-performance territory. It follows the 650-hp QX80 Track Spec concept revealed earlier this year, but the R-Spec pushes things even further — both in power and in attitude.
