There is a boundary layer of iridium above which there are no dinosaur bones to be found — because the dinosaurs were killed off by whatever laid down that worldwide layer of iridium separating the last era of the dinosaurs from all of the subsequent eras.
When people from a future era look back at ours, they may also notice a layer of iridium, so to speak, separating their era from ours.
The one in which mighty mechanical sauropods such as the Infiniti QX80 still roamed the roads.
What It Is
The QX80 is a full-size, three-row SUV based on the Nissan Armada, both of which are related to Nissan's full-size, half-ton pickup, the Titan. All three are powered by a 5.6-liter V8, paired with an automatic transmission and either rear-drive or four-wheel-drive (with a transfer case and 4WD low-range gearing).
The Q, being an Infiniti, is layered with luxury features that aren't standard (and some not offered) in either of its two Nissan-badged relations. These include a self-leveling air suspension, three-zone climate control, leather seats, a heated steering wheel, 20-inch wheels and a 13-speaker Bose premium audio system .
Which is why the Q's base price for the Lux trim is $71,950 for the rear-drive version and $75,050 for the 4WD version. The Nissan-badged version of essentially the same thing, in terms of function if not amenities, is $49,500.
The Premium Select adds 22-inch wheels, dark chrome exterior trim and some additional options for the color of the leather seats. It lists for $76,250 for the RWD version and $79,350 for 4WD.
A top-of-the-line Sensory comes with a Body Motion Control System to counteract body roll when the big Q is cornering, a 17-speaker even-more-premium Bose audio system, a larger, new-design LCD screen in the center stack and a pair of 8-inch entertainment screens for those in back.
It stickers for $83,100 with RWD and $86,200 with 4WD.
What's New
Very little since 2011, which is a very good thing, if you think a standard 400 horsepower V8 without turbos or fewer cylinders (and a solid rear axle) are good things.
What's Good
Appropriately sized engine for a rig this size.
Rugged body-on-frame construction.
Tremendous range.
What's Not So Good
No more engine than you could get in the less adorned but essentially the same thing Nissan-badged Armada for $21,600 less.
Almost as expensive to fuel as it is to buy.
Under The Hood
All QX80 trims come standard with the same engine, which is the same 5.6-liter, 400 horsepower V8 engine that also comes standard in the Nissan Armada (and Titan pickup).
It endows this kahuna with the strength to pull 8,500 pounds and to move its 5,687-pound curb weight from inert to 60 in 5.9 seconds, putting its straight-line acceleration capabilities ahead of those of most V8-powered muscle cars of the '60s and '70s.
It also manages to deliver 14 mpg city and 20 mpg on the highway — remarkable for something this big, this heavy and this big-engined. With 26 gallons of fuel in its tank, it can also travel 520 miles on the highway (364 miles in the city).
However, the 5.6 V8 that powers the Q isn't any stronger (or bigger) than the same engine used in the Armada and Titan, which may be off-putting to some potential buyers who expected more engine for the additional $20,000-plus they paid for their Q.
On The Road
The bigness of the SUV appeals for the same reasons it once did for cars: There is room to spread out, and the weight that usually attends size is comforting in the way that being aboard a battleship rather than a dinghy is comforting. There is a heavy-gauge steel frame underneath you serving as the keel of this mighty dreadnought.
And a solid axle in the back that is less likely to break.
It is big, however.
It's nearly as long as the biggest American sedans of the Before Time — and much taller. And yet it corners far better — notwithstanding it stands twice as high off the road as most cars. It corners even better with the new Body Motion Control System, but even without it. The cornering tenacity of modern SUVs far exceeds that of the big sedans of the '70s — as well as the daring of many drivers.
At The Curb
How big is the Q? End to end, it stretches 210.2 inches, which isn't quite as long as the Cadillac Escalade (211.9 inches) and not nearly as long as the new Jeep Wagoneer (214.7 inches), but all of these SUVs are nonetheless longer than just about any new car.
Inside you will find analog gauges and a grab-handle gear selector — a recollection of the era before flat screen gauges and tap-button/knob controllers. Both of those are more immediately comprehensible and also more tactile.
They are apt to be more durable, too, in terms of their visuals. Today's flat screen gauge panels and electric tap-swipe interfaces may look hip and with it today, but how about five years from now?
The Rest
The cost to feed this rig is well over $100 per 26-gallon tankful at current prices — but its range (and five minutes to refuel) makes up for a lot of that.
The Bottom Line
Time's short if big is what you want.
Outside — and under the hood.
Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
View the Infiniti QX this week.
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