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Concept Infiniti QX Monograph debuts as hint of new Nissan Patrol
Low range and ladder-frame chassis both remain, but don't expect the return of a turbodiesel engine at any stage.
Once in production, the Patrol will have a different frontal design from that of the QX. Image: Infiniti
Described as making a provocative statement, Nissan, through its upscale division Infiniti, has used the first day of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California to reveal the effective preview of the next generation Patrol in the form of the QX Monograph.
Bold and still hulking
Appearing production ready but still designated a concept hence the use of the Monograph moniker, the QX, which is expected to become the new QX80, debuts a new styling language that will mostly differ from that of the Patrol once manufacturing kicks-off.
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Said to have been crafted with the intention of appearing “simple at first glance yet devoid of complex shapes”, the QX Monograph incorporates what Infiniti describes as an “anti-wedge profile” that is supposed to hide its girth while still appearing sleek.
Decked-out in a six-layer colour called Akane, the frontal design appears broadly similar to that of the current QX80, albeit with a thin strip LED headlight setup, a new “double arch” grille complete with an illuminated Infiniti logo and running between the main beams, a series of “connecting” LEDs arranged in what the marque calls a layout similar to that of the keys found on a piano.
The mesh grille pattern and side vents designed around the concept of bamboo, the QX Monograph rides on machined alloy wheels with red accents. No further details of the wheels or indeed the exterior were announced.
Compared to the front, the rear is evolutionary with elements not only visible from the QX80, but also the current generation Nissan Pathfinder in the guise of the rear bumper, LED lights connected by a full-width light bar and the Infiniti name spread across the width of the tailgate.
Unsurprisingly, no images or details of the interior were announced, bar the standard inclusion of a panoramic sunroof said to have a folding motif derived from a traditional Japanese kimono.
Expectations underneath
Similar to its interior and dimensions, no technical were divulged despite ongoing speculation that the QX, and therefore also the Patrol, will eschew the current 298kW/560Nm 5.6-litre normally aspirated V8 engine for a downsized 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6.
A displacement that will directly rival the 3.5-litre badged 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 used in the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 and Lexus LX, the twin-blown bent-six is anticipated to be more powerful than the V8 and connected to a new automatic gearbox rumoured to be an eight-speed.
Likely to retain the ladder-frame chassis and low range transfer case, a first time hybrid model could well be introduced at a later stage in place of a turbodiesel that won’t form part of either the QX or Patrol’s powertrain options due to Nissan’s focus on its e-Power electrified drivetrains rather than oil-burners.
Clearer expected in 2024
Set to enter production next year with sales commencing soon after, expectations are that the QX will arrive first as the next generation QX80, with the internally designated Y63 Patrol following soon after.
As such, expect more details relating the final production models to emerge early next year.
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