Infiniti QX80 R-Spec brings GT-R power to SEMA 2025
At SEMA 2025, the Infiniti QX80 R-Spec debuts with a GT-R-sourced 1,000-hp VR38DETT, carbon-ceramic brakes and aero, proving a luxury SUV can be a track brute.
SEMA 2025 in Las Vegas once again became a playground for automotive excess: hundreds of tuned builds, concepts, and showcars. But the apex predator of the scene was the Infiniti QX80 R-Spec—a luxury SUV transformed into a 1,000-hp monster.
Taking cues from the legendary Nissan GT-R, this QX80 wears the signature Midnight Purple and packs the VR38DETT from the supercar. The engine has been pushed to an even 1,000 horsepower, while the brakes and suspension are sourced from the GT-R T-Spec Takumi Edition. Even the 24-inch bronze wheels hide carbon-ceramic rotors, and the body is dressed in aerodynamic panels. The spec reads cohesive rather than gimmicky, a rare thing at a show built on spectacle.
SEMA 2025 brimmed with headline-grabbing debuts—Toyota rolled out a suite of off-road concepts, Ford brought a 900-hp Raptor, Mopar resurrected the famed Hellephant V8, and Hyundai surprised with a retro take on the Ioniq 9. Yet Infiniti stole the spotlight: the QX80 R-Spec made the case that even a plush SUV can be a track-bred brute.
Infiniti pulled off the improbable—turning a family SUV into an emblem of power and audacity. The QX80 R-Spec is more than a showpiece; it stands as a reminder that even in the era of electric cars, the pull of real engines hasn’t gone away. Among the wild builds, this one comes across as purposeful.