Goodbye V-8? Future Infiniti Products May Ditch V-8 Engine Option

The engine downsizing trend has led many luxury automakers to reduce the displacement of their powertrain offerings but, so far, none have completely done away with the V-8. That may soon change, as Australian site Motoring.com.au reports Infiniti won’t offer an eight-cylinder option in a few years.

The Aussie news outlet says the decision to axe the V-8 was confirmed by recently appointed Infiniti global president Johan de Nysschen and Nissan executive vice president Andy Palmer at the Infiniti brand’s launch in Australia.

“I don’t think any car that is on Infiniti drawing boards from here onwards we should expect to see a V-8 to be included in that plan,” de Nysschen told Motoring.com.au.

Palmer further confirmed Infiniti’s plans, telling Motoring.com.au that increasingly stringent fuel economy and emissions standards around the world make developing and engineering V-8s as part of a new series of engines “almost impossible.”

Infiniti currently offers a 390-hp, 369-lb-ft 5.0-liter V-8 in the FX50 SUV, and a 5.6-liter V-8 producing 400-420 hp in the QX56 SUV and M56 sedan. For the next-generation FX, QX, and M, Infiniti could explore forced induction, utilizing turbocharged four- or six-cylinder engines. Hybrid or fully electric powertrains are possibilities, as well. Paring down weight will likely play a huge role in future Infiniti models, as will improved aerodynamics. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi still offer V-8s, but have added turbochargers or decreased production to keep fuel economy scores in check. However, de Nysschen believes the V-8 will soon go the way of the Dodo.

“Powertrains have to have a relatively long lifecycle, and we have to think about 15 years from today and the future unquestionably is going to see the downsizing of engines,” de Nysschen said to Motoring.com.au. “There will be much focus on fuel consumption and emissions, and horsepower figures are going to come down. The 600-horsepower engines that you see today that are regrettably rare…will become extinct.”

We asked an Infiniti spokesman in the U.S. about the story and received the following statement:

The Infiniti line includes has two world-class V8-engine offerings, a 5.0-liter in the Infiniti FX50 and the 5.6-liter in the Infiniti M56 and QX56. … These engines are very new in their lifecycles, and we expect they will remain as part of our line for several model years to come. That said, we continue to explore lower displacement, higher compression engines, hybrids, diesels and full-electric powerplants as part of Infiniti’s overall eco-performance and sustainability strategy. We expect that these will gradually supersede our V8 engines sometime in the future. Already we have the Infiniti M Hybrid, a luxury performance sedan that combines V8-like horsepower with 4-cylinder fuel economy, and in 2014, we will introduce a 100-percent electric luxury sedan that will offer all the luxury and driving dynamics that are hallmarks of Infiniti, but with zero emissions.

Source: Motoring.com.au