Meet The INFINITI QX80 R-Spec: A 1,000-HP Luxury SUV With Godzilla DNA

The Ultimate Crossover Between Luxury and Performance

In advance of this year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas, INFINITI dropped a bombshell that nobody saw coming – a 1,000-horsepower QX80 dubbed the R-Spec. This isn’t your average luxury SUV. It’s a GT-R in disguise, hand-built to prove that luxury and pure performance can coexist in one seriously outrageous package.

Underneath the refined body of the QX80 AUTOGRAPH lies a tuned VR38DETT engine from the legendary Nissan GT-R NISMO, extensively modified to deliver an eye-popping 1,000-HP. It’s this kind of move that brings INFINITI’s luxury flagship squarely into the conversation with performance giants like the Lamborghini Urus and the Aston Martin DBX707.

Born From the Godzilla Bloodline

If the QX80 Track Spec Concept from Monterey Car Week hinted at what INFINITI could do, the R-Spec takes that idea and launches it into orbit. The build uses the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 that powered “Godzilla,” the GT-R.. but with a twist.

The one-off engine was assembled by Tsunemi Ooyama, one of the master craftsmen behind the GT-R T-Spec Takumi Edition, and was modified with Garrett G-series turbochargers, ETS exhaust manifolds, and a custom flex-fuel system. To make it all work with the QX80’s seven-speed automatic transmission, engineers created a custom CNC-machined adapter plate and tuned everything through a Motec engine management system with an electronic rear differential locker.

Yeah, this isn’t a parts-bin swap, it’s a hand-built showcase of engineering muscle.

“Extreme, Aggressive, and a Showcase of What INFINITI Can Do”

INFINITI Americas vice president Tiago Castro summed up the project perfectly:

“[The] QX80 R-Spec is extreme, aggressive and a showcase of what INFINITI can do when our engineering and design teams take off all the guardrails. With the QX80 R-Spec build, we challenged ourselves to explore an even more extreme direction for QX80 as we look to a future with high-performance variants that offer a broader breadth of adrenaline-pumping capabilities for our clients. We gave our team the freedom to be creative and dream of the unexpected as we redefine the future of luxury in a way that combines visceral performance with incomparable refinement.”

In other words, the R-Spec isn’t just a wild SEMA build. It’s a statement that INFINITI isn’t content to let performance fade quietly into the EV era.

Handling Power Like a Supercar

Power is nothing without control, and INFINITI made sure that the R-Spec can back up its numbers. The SUV gets carbon-ceramic brakes sourced from the GT-R, modified to fit the larger chassis. The suspension setup is pure race engineering – custom coilovers with MCS three-way adjustable damping, Eibach ERS springs, and even bespoke steering knuckles to handle the massive torque.

It rolls on 24-inch bronze wheels inspired by GT-R design, wrapped in 315-section Yokohama Parada Spec-X tires, ensuring grip levels that defy its size.

GT-R Looks. SUV Presence. Midnight Purple Swagger.

Visually, the INFINITI QX80 R-Spec is every bit as wild as its drivetrain. The custom widebody kit is inspired by the GT-R T-Spec Takumi Edition, complete with restyled diffusers, fog lights, badges, and an aerodynamic rear wing. Its color-shifting Midnight Purple wrap pays tribute to the R34 and R35 GT-R generations, a nod that will make any JDM enthusiast do a double-take.

The aggressive stance, lower ride height, and GT-R-inspired touches give the QX80 R-Spec a look that’s part supercar, part private jet.

A Glimpse Into INFINITI’s Future

While it’s unlikely we’ll see a production version of the 1,000-horsepower QX80 R-Spec, this project makes one thing clear – INFINITI hasn’t forgotten how to make enthusiasts’ hearts race. It’s a love letter to combustion performance, wrapped in the body of a luxury SUV.

The R-Spec will be on display at the 2025 SEMA Show, running November 4–7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, sharing the spotlight with Nissan’s latest GT-R concepts.

Needless to say, if this is the direction INFINITI is heading, the future of luxury performance looks anything but boring.