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to take care of you. With features like
a multi-terrain mode selector and hill
descent control it will no doubt tackle
mud bogs and slippery slopes with grit
and determination.
The interior is cavernous with seats
for up to eight passengers. Each gets a
three-point belt and there are six air bags to
keep occupants safe. Three videomonitors
help keep everyone entertained while
multiple zone air conditioning ensures
the cabin can feel like a Siberian winter
despite 40-degree Malaysian heat outside.
Like the exterior styling, the dashboard
isn’t high on elegance but all the controls
are clearly marked and intuitive to use.
Infiniti’s Safety Shield Suite incorporates
Lane Departure Warning, Forward
CollisionWarning and Forward Emergency
Braking to reduce the risk of having
an accident. If the driver finds these a
little intrusive in daily driving, they can
be turned off. Oh, and because the rear
bumper is miles behind the driver, Infiniti
has a Back-Up Collision Intervention
system that can ‘see’ 180-degrees and
works the brakes to prevent accidents
when reversing in or out of a parking lot.
Weigh up all its strengths and
weaknesses and it’s not too difficult to
justify buying the Infiniti over its rivals.
The kit list is long, it makes a statement
wherever it goes, delivering you in some
style and comfort. Sure, brand recognition
isn’t great for now but drive a QX80 and
other drivers will never be able to thumb
their nose at you again.
Specif ications
0-100km/h
6.8 secs
Top speed
210km/h
Engine
V8, 5522cc
Power
400bhp at 5,800rpm
Torque
560Nmat 4,000rpm
Gearbox
7-speed automatic
Kerbweight
2,829kg
Wheelbase
3,075mm
Length
5305mm
Width
2,030mm
move its mass. There’s a 5.6-litre naturally
aspirated V8 under the bonnet, with
400bhp at 5,800rpm and 560Nm at
4,000rpm directed to all four wheels via
a seven-speed Jatco automatic. Infiniti
claims 0-100km/h can be done in 6.8
seconds, which sounds terrifying while a
limited top speed of 210km/h is probably
as fast as youwould ever want to go. I tried
a few full-bore acceleration runs and quite
frankly it accelerated like a train to three
figure speeds with a NASCAR soundtrack
if you keep your right foot pinned to the
throttle.
This isn’t a sports car so the real reason
for using such an engine is how it makes
travelling seem so effortless. In city traffic,
right up to the legal limit, wind and engine
noise are suppressed to a whisper and if
you do need the gearbox to drop a few
ratios for increased acceleration, the kick
downs are unobtrusive and smooth. This
leviathan can corner too thanks to its
Hydraulic Body Motion Control (HBMC)
system, which uses interconnected shock
absorbers, linked via two accumulators
and an oil-based hydraulic circuit. In a
nutshell, it controls body and suspension
movements, to limit roll, increase comfort
and improve vehicle dynamics.
As expected, the ride is cosseting over
even undulating terrain and if you’re
inclined to take the QX80 off-road, there’s
an intelligent all-wheel-drive system