Nissan kicked off its Vision event recently, which laid out the Japanese brand and its sub-brand Infiniti’s long-term plans for growth in the coming years. Among the plans discussed, which include trimming the Nissan lineup and re-introducing some old names, as well as introducing some new names, an all-too-brief section of the presentation teased a few images of the upcoming Skyline while CEO Ivan Espinosa spoke of the iconic JDM’s impact on the culture and lasting renown. And while we likely won’t see the nameplate in the US, the community has reason to believe we will get its machinery in some shape or form. More specifically, in the return of a respected high-performance luxury sedan.
Nissan CEO Says Skyline-Like Car Could Be Coming To The US
Speaking with journos after the Vision event, CEO Ivan Espinosa answered the million-dollar question, “Could Skyline come to the US with an Infiniti badge?” To which he answered, albeit hesitantly (at first), that we could “imagine” a car with Skyline qualities arriving in the US. Infiniti confirmed to our sister site, CarBuzz, that it is planning a high-performance sedan with a rear-wheel-drive chassis and a manual transmission. And while no confirmation from the brand has been given regarding powertrain details, we speculate the refreshed Nissan Z Nismo will have a hand in laying the blueprint for said Infiniti sports sedan, especially since it is getting ready to offer a manual itself.
If the Infiniti mystery sedan does go the way of the Z Nismo, we can expect a 420-horsepower twin-turbo V6 and all the performance goodies Nismo has to offer. And while 420 horsepower is enough to get you moving with enthusiasm, there’s also a 450-horsepower 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 in the big QX80 that we wouldn’t mind seeing in a sedan (Q50 Red Sport 450?).
The Evidence Is All Around Us
The ‘Skyline coming to the US’ theory starts with the most glaring clue: Skyline and Infiniti’s past relationship. In the past, the Skyline formula has been applied to a few models under Nissan’s luxury arm, most recently the Q50. The Q50 was discontinued after the 2024 model year, though sources say that not only is Infiniti planning a sports sedan in the near future, but it’s also planning a Red Sport return, which could include the sedan as well as an SUV or two.
According to Automotive News‘ inside sources, Infiniti plans to revive the Red Sport line with upcoming performance models. Here’s where we have to draw a connection: Auto News‘ source didn’t mention a sedan, just the high-output variant of the new QX65, which is rumored to be getting a performance trim in the coming years. There were also mentions of a QX80 Red Sport, which Nissan already has the bones for in the Armada Nismo. Don’t forget about that QX80 R-Spec SEMA concept that previewed a 1,000-horsepower GT-R engine under the hood, either.
Why Enthusiasts Are Getting Excited
The Skyline is among the definitive JDM models and has been a legend since its arrival on the scene. US enthusiasts never got the chance to own the car unless they waited 25 years after its release in Japan and imported it. That said, we have always respected the Infiniti models that snuck us a piece of the pie under the guise of G35, G37, and Q50. It’s hard not to make the connection with so many bits of information. But for now, it’s speculation. Juicy speculation, but speculation nonetheless.
Sources: Nissan, Automotive News, CarBuzz