Some people buy big, honkin' SUVs to tow their boats. By pulling the engine from of a QX56 and installing it in a luxury motorboat, Infiniti is merely cutting out the middle man.
Infiniti Americas Vice President Ben Poore said the idea came about as so many great automotive mashups do: a bunch of gearheads sitting around, talking about what outlandish feats a car or truck could perform. "The genesis for the Infiniti QX-powered boat project came about when a group of us were talking about our full-size SUV's standing as the perfect luxury tow vehicle," he said "So what better object to tow than a boat custom outfitted to QX-inspired standards?"
Working with automotive engineering students from Nashville State Community College and the Tennessee Technical Center Nashville, Infiniti engineers have already removed the 5.6 liter V8 and 7-speed automatic transmission from an already-built 2011 Infiniti QX56, while the marketing department got to work documenting the whole endeavor on Infiniti's Facebook page.
Since Red Green wasn't appointed project supervisor, the team is now spending considerable time converting the drivetrain for maritime use.
That 400 hp mill is a fish out of water when it's outside of the comfy confines of the QX56's engine bay. Already, they've pulled off all parts that would be extraneous at sea, such as the power steering pump. Next up is figuring out how to reengineer the engine control module, starter and other electronic components for installation in a boat that Infiniti promises will have all the power and luxury of the QX56 itself.
Luxurious and powerful as a boat? Sure. But when it comes to driving dynamics, perhaps a marine comparison isn't what Infiniti's marketing department was looking for. We spent a week with our backs pinned to the seats of an M56 sedan, which shares an engine with the massive QX. If they're looking for another promotional campaign, that V8's got enough power that we suggest Infiniti's engineers talk with the folks over at NASA about restarting the space shuttle program.
Photos: Infiniti
