Infiniti Phasing Out V8 Engines, Exec Says
Infiniti has confirmed that future development of V8 engines will come to an end, thanks to stricter fuel economy and CO2 restrictions. That’s not to say that we’ll see V8s disappear immediately from the Japanese automaker’s lineup, however.
Johan de Nysschen, Infiniti global president, explained that powertrains have a much longer life cycle than the actual vehicle model, which means for now we’ll continue to see the current stable of V8s under the hood of select Infiniti models. But future generations of the lineup will cease to have a V8 option. Currently V8s are found in the FX and M sedan models, along with the QX SUV.
Chances are, future generations of those models will see either turbocharged four- or six-cylinder engines to replace the V8, offering similar performance but much better fuel efficiency. Hybrid powerplants and even EVs may also found their ways as replacements as the Japanese automaker will shift its efforts into finding more efficient ways to reduce weight and improve aerodynamics on its vehicles.
“I don’t think any car that is on Infiniti drawing boards from here onwards we should expect a V8 to be included in that plan,” de Nysschen said in a recent interview.
Cautiously though, the Japanese automaker even went so far as to say that “real top performance cars right now – will become extinct.” An ominous statement of course, but with such a strong focus on fuel efficiency and emissions, it’s hard to imagine that performance won’t take a back seat to engine development.
[Source: Car Sales]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
More by Jason Siu
Comments
Join the conversation