SEMA 2025: Infiniti Unleashes The 1,000-Horsepower QX80 R-Spec

Infiniti QX80 R-Spec is coming to SEMA 2025

Infiniti is one of those brands I rarely think about, mainly because of the five vehicles they currently offer. I have yet to drive one this year for a review; the last one I drove was the 2025 QX60 in December 2024. However, with SEMA coming around, Nissan’s luxury division has reached back to the early 2000s to get some fast & furious-style tuner inspiration. It has transformed its flagship SUV, the QX80, into something no one asked for: the QX80 R-Spec. Set to be unveiled at the 2025 SEMA Show, this build places a 1,000-horsepower engine under the hood of a vehicle ordinarily aimed at refined comfort and family ambition.

SEMA 2025: Infiniti Unleashes The 1,000-Horsepower QX80 R-Spec

While its purple wrap and “cool mom” styling look like they came straight from PepBoys, the heart of the QX80 R-Spec is a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 derived from the legendary Nissan GT‑R. Infiniti’s engineers didn’t just slap on a bit more power; they overhauled turbochargers, intercoolers, exhaust manifolds, and the fuel system to push total output toward four figures. Plus, this does look much better than the Armada NISMO.

What gets a little more interesting is that Infiniti is pairing that raw output with serious engineering. The R-Spec borrows carbon-ceramic brakes from the GT-R, a bespoke coil-over suspension, and 24-inch bronze wheels wearing 315-width tires. The body is wider, lower, and dressed in a color-shifting wrap that references the Midnight Purple of GT-R generations past. In short, it honors the brand’s (Nissan) performance roots while wearing luxury SUV clothes.

Can SEMA Save Infiniti?

But the timing is perhaps as important as the spec sheet. The QX80 itself sold just 10,339 units in 2024, down nearly 19 %, and in a crowded luxury SUV market, brands need to stand out. The QX80 R-Spec can then be seen as part of a broader repositioning: reminding buyers (and critics) that Infiniti can stir passion, not just provide premium utility.

This isn’t a mass-market play. It’s a statement. As the luxury-SUV segment becomes ever more crowded, the R-Spec quietly declares that INFINITI still believes in mechanical drama, driver-centric engineering, and unexpected ambition. If the brand is going to rise back toward relevance, this is the kind of move that respects both its past and its possibilities.

For those who appreciate the intersection of craftsmanship and speed, the QX80 R-Spec stands out, not just for its horsepower, but for its willingness to break the equation of luxury = comfort. Here’s to watching what comes next.

Infiniti QX80 R-Spec Build Sheet

Powertrain

Nissan GT-R R35 VR38 engine
JE Pistons, Boostline Rods, ARP rod bolts
MOTEC engine management
ETS exhaust manifolds with Garrett G-series turbochargers
Custom flex-fuel system with 2600-cc injectors and Fuel Lab fuel pump
Custom intake with twin front-mount intercoolers
Custom R35-inspired exhausts
Custom CNC transmission adapter
E-Locker rear differential
CSF engine and transmission coolers

Suspension and Brakes

Custom MCS three-way external reservoir coilovers
Eibach ERS springs
Relocated steering rack with custom steering shaft
Modified bump-steer knuckles
R35 GT-R carbon ceramic brakes with custom brake caliper adapters and rotor hats

Wheels and Tires