The Infiniti QX Monograph concept unveiled overnight at 2023 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance previews the next-generation QX80 and, by extension, the ‘Y63’ Nissan Patrol.
Aesthetically, the new QX80 isn’t a huge departure from today’s SUV. While the overall “anti-wedge profile” is unchanged, the next-generation car has a marginally more athletic look thanks to the blacked out pillars and roof. The QX Monograph’s window graphics mirror those of the Pathfinder-based QX60.
If previous Monograph concepts are anything to go by, show car details, such as the frameless windows and clean, flush-fitting door handles, will be lost when the production QX80 is revealed.
While we don’t know the exact nature of the differences between the next-generation QX80 and its Nissan Patrol sibling, spy photos, as well as their existing relationship, indicate key points of differentiation will centre around the grille, bumpers, headlights, tail-lights, and tailgate, with the Nissan featuring squarer elements and more rugged styling.
Up front the QX80 Monograph debuts the brand’s updated logo, which has the road disappearing inwards towards the horizon.
The illuminated 3D logo sits in the middle of a revised double arch grille, which is said to be “inspired by the grandeur of a bamboo forest”, and features piano key lighting along the top that flows into the car’s driving lights. The main headlight units are disguised as slim vertical air intakes.
At the rear the tail-lights span the entire width of the car, and feature a series of lighting units with a solid upper section underscored by six horizontal bars. Infiniti says the pattern invokes “the tranquil way light shimmers on water”.
Subtle red elements abound around the Monograph, with a hint of red in the dark tinted windows, thin red spokes in the alloy wheels, and a six-layer paint finish that appears grey in bright sunlight but imitates a “warm glowing red sunset as it transitions into a dark night sky”.
No interior pictures of the QX80 Monograph’s interior have been issued, nor has the company provided any details about the car’s drivetrain.
According to Automotive News the new QX80 will ditch its current 5.6-litre V8 engine for a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine making around 335kW, which is significant jump up from the current model’s 298kW.
Should this downsizing come to pass, it will follow a path already undertaken by the likes of the Toyota LandCruiser and Sequoia, as well as the Ford Expedition.
As for the cabin, rumours suggest the new QX80 will have a slim screen panel that stretches across the entire width of the dashboard. If Nissan follows the LandCruiser/LX playbook, it’s likely the Patrol will have a less luxurious interior that emphasises the nameplate’s rugged image.
Timing for the new Infiniti QX80 and Nissan Patrol, known as the Armada in North America, have yet to be confirmed, but reports suggest the production QX80 could be launched in mid-2024.
Whenever the new QX80 and Patrol twins debut, they will finally draw a curtain on today’s long-lived pair, both of which entered production in 2010.
MORE: Everything Nissan Patrol
