Infiniti is hitting the reset button on its most ambitious performance model in years. Rather than rush the QX80 Red Sport into showrooms with a bigger engine tune and some cosmetic tweaks, the luxury brand has decided to delay the SUV by more than a year while it transforms it into something capable of genuinely challenging rivals from Mercedes-AMG and BMW M. That means a longer wait for buyers, but it also suggests Infiniti might actually be getting its soul back.

 

According to Autonews, the Red Sport had originally been slated to arrive this December with roughly 600 hp (447 kW), quicker acceleration, and a more aggressive appearance. As development progressed, though, Infiniti concluded that simply adding horsepower wasn’t enough to justify a six-figure sticker or convince enthusiasts to take it seriously.