Infiniti Hits the Brakes on QX80 Red Sport to Fix the Handling

Infiniti is taking a step back with its upcoming QX80 Red Sport. The luxury brand announced the high-performance version of its massive SUV back in March, promising around 600 horsepower under the hood. There’s even talk of a Track Spec model pushing 650 horses. But after a closer look at what the competition is doing, namely Porsche.

Mercedes, and BMW, Infiniti realized that raw power alone won't cut it. Those German SUVs don’t just go fast in a straight line; they actually corner, stop, and feel planted at speed. So now, Infiniti is reworking the suspension and brakes before either model hits the road.

"As we have started to work on the project, we're realizing that power alone is not sufficient," Infiniti Americas chief Eric Ledieu told Automotive News. " He added that when customers are spending six figures on a performance SUV of this size, it has to deliver on every front, not just the gas pedal.

The extra development work is expected to push deliveries back by at least a year, meaning the QX80 Red Sport might not arrive until early 2028. Infiniti is betting that waiting to get it right will pay off.

To help with the overhaul, Infiniti has brought in Nissan’s in-house speed specialists at Nismo. The result should be a vehicle that looks nothing like the current QX80 on dealer lots. Think bolder styling, sharper handling, a louder exhaust, and a 0-60 time under five seconds. "What we were working on before was a very different scope than what we're working on today," Ledieu said.

" It’s a rare moment of humility from an automaker, admitting the first draft wasn’t good enough and going back to the drawing board.