2007 Infiniti Qx56 Base Sport Utility 4-door 5.6l on 2040-cars

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Formula 1 seeking independent engine supplier

Formula 1 could get a new engine supplier in the near future, if Bernie Ecclestone and the independent teams gets their way. According to Autosport, the FIA is soon to open the contract up for bids, and there are already several manufacturers that have expressed interest. Currently Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, and Honda supply engines – both to their own premier teams (Red Bull and McLaren for the latter two) but also to other teams like Williams, Sauber, and Toro Rosso. Because the new turbocharged V6 hybrid power units cost those four suppliers so much to develop, they're charging their customer teams big bucks – around $20-30 million per season – to provide the engines. These costs are much higher than the $10 million or so it used to cost to purchase a V8 engine under the previous regulations. Ecclestone figures it's time to bring in another supplier who will not run their own team and not play favorites, but will supply engines to private teams at a lower cost. There are already a number of potential suppliers under consideration. One of them is said to be Cosworth, which has a long history in the series stretching back to 1963. The British firm stepped back between 2007 and 2009, returned in 2010, and dropped out again after 2013. The development could be of particular benefit to Red Bull, which has been unable to find an engine supplier and could be forced out of the series as a result. The team has long been powered by Renault, but that relationship has grown sour. And the other three engine manufacturers have not been forthcoming in offering an alternative arrangement for the team. Related Video: News Source: AutosportImage Credit: Cosworth Motorsports Ferrari Honda Infiniti McLaren Mercedes-Benz Renault F1 engine contract

2024 Infiniti QX80 gets Dark Chrome Appearance package, higher price

The body-on-frame Infiniti QX80 is entering the 2024 model year with a new appearance package offered on the most expensive trim level. It's otherwise unchanged compared to the 2023 model, which received Amazon Alexa compatibility, but every trim becomes more expensive. While the QX80's overall design doesn't change, the range-topping Sensory trim level gets an optional Dark Chrome Appearance package that includes black-painted door mirror caps as well as Dark Chrome trim on the front end, the fenders, and the hatch. The bundle gives the SUV a more subtle look, as models not equipped with the Dark Chrome Appearance package ship with flashier bright exterior trim pieces. The list of standard features includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen plus Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. Driving aids? It's got them: a surround-view camera, forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and back-up collision intervention come standard. The QX80 isn't the newest or best-selling model in its segment, but it's not as outdated as the age of its platform suggests. Infiniti positions the QX80 as its most expensive model, and it's increasing pricing across the board for 2024. Pricing is as follows: QX80 Luxe rear-wheel-drive: $76,045 ($1,650 more than in 2023) QX80 Luxe four-wheel-drive: $79,195 ($1,700 more than in 2023) QX80 Premium Select rear-wheel-drive: $80,680 ($1,685 more than in 2023) QX80 Premium Select four-wheel-drive: $83,780 ($1,685 more than in 2023) QX80 Sensory rear-wheel-drive: $87,730 ($1,685 more than in 2023) QX80 Sensory four-wheel-drive: $90,830 ($1,685 more than in 2023) Note that these figures include an $1,895 destination charge. The brand collected a $1,395 destination charge in 2023. Infiniti hasn't made any mechanical changes to the QX80. Power comes from a tried-and-true 5.6-liter V8 rated at 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. It's bolted to a seven-speed automatic transmission, and it gives the big SUV a towing capacity of up to 8,500 pounds. Dealers across the nation will begin receiving the 2024 QX80 in the coming weeks. Infiniti hasn't commented on what's next for the model, but weaving together various tidbits of information released earlier in 2023 nudges us in the right direction.

Infiniti to move forward with 'Nissan-plus' strategy for its future cars

Sales at Infiniti in 2019 were down in the dumps. While the market as a whole fell 1.2%, Infiniti brand sales were down 21%. Nissan wasn’t too far behind, with its sales sliding 9.9% year-to-year. None of those numbers look great, but Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta still sees a path forward for NissanÂ’s luxury brand, Infiniti. “We will bring back Infiniti as Nissan-plus, in terms of product and technology," Gupta told Automotive News. “Infiniti will be great again.” Historically-speaking, Infiniti has been “Nissan-plus” for a long time over the years. Many vehicles in its lineup have been re-skinned versions of Nissans with some luxury thrown into the mix, and thatÂ’s not necessarily a bad thing. There have been some standouts, namely the original Q45 with its pioneering active suspension and shockingly sporty dynamics. And then there are the G coupes and sedans, vehicles that are still desirable to enthusiasts today. View 31 Photos InfinitiÂ’s current enthusiast offerings revolve around the Q50 sedan and Q60 coupe, both of which are rear-wheel-drive (or all-wheel-drive) cars with sporting intentions. ThereÂ’s no equivalent Nissan sold in America, but the Q50 is the Nissan Skyline in Japan. ItÂ’s impossible to know what the fate of these rear-drive-based cars will be, but a few possibilities lie ahead. Infiniti could really lean in to the “Nissan-plus” nomenclature and repurpose the new Altima as an Infiniti sedan. More likely, however, is a move to electrification. The Nissan IMs Concept and Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept both suggest that the company is interested in creating electric sedans. A “Nissan-plus” electric sedan sure sounds a whole lot better than a front-drive-based rebadged Nissan. InfinitiÂ’s biggest problem at this second is the lack of new product on the market. Its QX50 crossover is the most recent big redesign weÂ’ve been witness to, but it needed replacements yesterday for the QX60, Q50 and Q60 to be competitive with others in those segments. Both Lexus and Acura are outpacing Infiniti by a wide margin. The path forward as “Nissan-plus” also suggests Infiniti aims to be a premium brand, rather than a full-fledged luxury brand competing toe-to-toe with Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. ThatÂ’s consistent with how the brandÂ’s cars have stacked up in recent years, even as it collaborated with Mercedes to put an Infiniti badge on the GLA crossover.