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2021 Infiniti QX80 gets full off-road prep, will take on the Rebelle Rally

Infiniti just revealed an off-road prepped QX80 that will take on the Rebelle Rally this week. Beginning today, the Rebelle Rally is an all-female rally where racers navigate off-road terrain from Lake Tahoe to the Imperial Sand Dunes by the U.S.-Mexico border. It’s 1,200 miles of rough terrain, so the luxurious QX80 needed a little help to get ready for it. The big bruiser of an SUV was handed off to Calmini Products Inc. in California for the prep work. It got a three-inch lift, heavy-duty control arms, off-road performance shocks, high clearance front and rear bumpers and thicker skid plates. The new Off-Road Monster 18-inch wheels are wrapped with chunky Nitto Terra Grappler all-terrain tires. We wouldnÂ’t normally say this about an Infiniti, but this QX80 looks badass. Calmini also added a PowerTank air-up tank and digital air-down kit to keep those tires at optimal pressure levels. Other extras include a rally computer, heavy-duty shackles and ropes, tow straps, two sets of Maxtrax platforms (to lift the vehicle for service if necessary), a fire extinguisher and two full-size spare tires secured in a custom-built cargo area cage. Both drivers are automotive journalists: Nicole Wakelin and Alice Chase. TheyÂ’re allowed compasses, roadbooks and maps, but no other navigational tools are available. The rally is scheduled to conclude on October 17. InfinitiÂ’s QX80 is a fine choice for this event, especially when you consider its underpinnings. The big SUV still uses a body-on-frame construction shared with the Nissan Armada. Nissan enthusiasts will also know that the Armada is based on the Nissan Patrol, which is a capable off-roading truck of an SUV sold in other parts of the world.

Assessing Sebastian Vettel's first 100 days as Infiniti's director of performance

Whenever a new US president is elected, we know to expect a performance review as soon as he (or she) has spent 100 days in office. Sebastian Vettel, arguably given a job that is more important to Infiniti than the US president, has been the brand's director of performance for one hundred revolutions of The Blue Marble, and Infiniti has put together a videographic glimpse of his work at Paul Ricard, in the US and England.
We probably won't really get a grip on the full results of his efforts for a while - we doubt that he's been in his post long enough to significantly alter the trajectory of the Q50 sedan, for instance. But then again, Infiniti insists he's been integral to the car's dynamics development regime, suggesting he's been working as a test driver for some time before these 100 days. Of course, Vettel is a race car driver and brand ambassador first and foremost, but when he tells a Q50 engineer that "For the future, I think it's more comfortable to have the shift paddles on the steering wheel," we get the sense that he won't hesitate to suggest changes in forthcoming products. Check out more of his inputs in the video below as well as a press release detailing his visit to the tech center in Cranfield, UK.

Infiniti recalls Q50 and Q70 Hybrid models

Infiniti is issuing three separate recalls for its Q50 Hybrid and Q70 Hybrid and M35 Hybrid covering roughly 13,794 vehicles in North America.
The larger campaign listed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers 5,831 examples of its 2014 Q50 Hybrid (shown above) and 2014 Q70 Hybrid in North America, with 5,412 of those in the US and its territories. According to NHTSA, "due to a software error, the electric motor may stop working while the vehicle is being driven using the electric motor only," creating a "stall-like condition." To fix the fault, the company is reprogramming the motor inverter software, and owners should be contacted in mid-November.
The second recall covers just 890 2014 Q50 Hybrid and 2014 Q70 Hybrid models in North America, with 817 of those residing in the US. It's possible that their transmission housings were damaged during manufacturing, and on affected models, the housing could have a crack that might fracture while driving. Dealers will inspect the transmission and faulty examples will be replaced.