Infiniti shows off three concepts before Toronto auto show, hoping to inject new life into brand
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Infiniti showed off three new concept SUVs geared toward performance and ruggedness at an event on the eve of the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto on Feb. 11, 2026.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Infiniti showcased three cool concept vehicles on the eve of Canada’s largest auto show, the Canadian International Auto Show, in Toronto on Wednesday. The concepts are designed to revitalize Infiniti’s lineup and inject new life into the brand.
The QX65 Monograph concept is a two-row mid-size SUV that hints at the design direction for the production model of the QX65 – an all-new nameplate that will be built at Nissan’s manufacturing plant in Tennessee. The production model will be revealed this spring and is expected to be available to Canadians in early summer.
With a distinct fastback roofline, it’s muscular and elegant, especially when viewed from the side. Inside, it’s luxurious, spacious and modern with tech-focused features. But it plays in a competitive and growing segment of coupe-like luxury SUVs, which include the Genesis GV80 coupe and the Audi Q8.
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The Infiniti QX65 Monograph with muscular and elegant lines is displayed at an event on the eve of the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto on Feb. 11, 2026.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Ahead of the preview at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works, Ken Hearn, the managing director of Infiniti Canada, said the QX65 Monograph offers “luxury without excess, capability without compromise and a personality that breaks through a crowded field of lookalike competitors.”
But Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury arm, has been struggling with sales. In Canada, Infiniti sold 5,372 vehicles in 2025 – that’s down nearly 15 per cent compared to 2024. But sales of its flagship vehicle, the QX80 three-row SUV, which is made in Japan for the Canadian market, increased. According to Infiniti Canada, 1,053 QX80 SUVs were sold in 2025 – that’s up 11 per cent.
And Hearn is banking new rugged and high-performance concepts such as the Track Spec and Terrain Spec on the full-size QX80 will create more excitement for the brand and “challenge outdated perceptions of what a full‑size luxury vehicle can be.”
Even though buyers might never venture off the road, the two QX80 concepts look the part, visually.
“These concepts serve as emotional gateways, broadening the appeal of the Infiniti QX80 by showing its luxury foundation is backed by genuine performance and capability,” Hearn said. “They also support Infiniti’s fast-to-market approach, allowing the brand to gauge demand for more expressive, specialized flagship variants ahead of potential production.”
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The rugged QX80 Terrain Spec has a pop-up tent.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
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Protective shielding covers the lower front and rear fascias of the QX80 Terrain Spec to prevent against damage when off-roading.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
On the outside, the high-performance QX80 Track Spec concept is bold with distinct rocker panels, an aggressive front grille, rear quad exhausts and functional, yet aesthetic, front air intakes. A funky, matte metallic black-blue vinyl wrap is attractive as are the 24-inch wheels with big front Brembo brakes. Power comes from a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 engine with a new turbocharger system and exhaust. The engine delivers 650 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque – that’s an approximate 50-per-cent increase in both. Not to mention, it’s the highest horsepower output in the brand’s history.
For adventure seekers, the rugged QX80 Terrain Spec concept looks bolder and more menacing than the other concepts. It has an elevated ride height, off-road wheels with all-terrain tires, big fender flares, a rooftop-mounted lightbar and pop-up tent for camping on-the-go. Protective shielding covers the lower front and rear fascias to prevent against damage when off-roading.
This concept gets a satin dark basalt vinyl wrap and a distinct side-exit exhaust. It also gets more technology including Infiniti’s new Invisible Hood View. It uses advanced image processing to project an image of what’s directly under the vehicle’s hood onto the centre display, which helps drivers navigate over rocks, gullies and other hazards or even complete easier tasks such as lining up the front tires at a car wash entrance.
There’s also a 3D Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection that provides a rotating view of QX80’s surroundings to help drivers avoid obstacles when driving over rough terrain.
While the concepts look close to production ready, there’s no word yet on when the QX80 Track Spec and Terrain Spec concept SUVs will come to market.
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The high-performance QX80 Track Spec has 650 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
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