Infiniti Q50 Lives On as Nissan Skyline 400R Limited Edition

Last year, Infiniti quietly ended production of its Q50 sedan in North America, shifting its lineup entirely toward sport utility vehicles. But the story does not end there. In Japan, the rear-wheel-drive sedan lives on under a different badge—the Nissan Skyline —and now it has one last hurrah: the exclusive 400R Limited edition.

This special-edition model is strictly capped at 400 units and is available only in the Japanese market. It receives slightly wider 19-inch wheels mounted with Dunlop tires, a firmed-up front suspension setup, upgraded brake pads, and a reinforced rear anti-roll bar for sharper handling. Carbon-fibre side-mirror caps and a carbon-fibre rear spoiler add visual and tactile distinction. Inside, an individually numbered plaque highlights the exclusivity, and a carbon-fibre centre console further sets this Limited model apart. Despite all the upgrades, no changes are made to the engine—under the hood the twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 (engine code VR30DDTT) continues to deliver 400 horsepower, the same unit used in the Q50 Red Sport 400.

Priced at 6,935,500 yen (roughly US$45,400), the 400R Limited is about US$3,000 more expensive than the standard R400 trim. The regular R400 remains available in Japan, positioned one tier above the four-cylinder GT Type P and SP trims, whose entry pricing starts at around US$35,600.

This Limited edition arrives just as the next-generation Skyline has been confirmed, and very shortly after Infiniti publicly revealed that a new rear-wheel-drive sedan is on its way. At an Automotive Press Association event, Infiniti Americas vice-president Tiago Castro disclosed that the upcoming model—slated for launch in 2027—will serve as a spiritual successor to the Q50/Skyline pairing, possibly built outside the United States and offering a manual transmission. Early speculation suggests it could harness the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 from the Nissan Z, tuned to as much as 450 horsepower.

For Infiniti, bringing back a sports sedan could help reignite interest in a brand that has seen sales plummet—from a high of 153,415 vehicles in 2017 to just 58,070 last year, a drop of 62 % in seven years. A new Q50-type sedan may not become a mass-seller in today’s SUV-centric market, but it could provide a vital boost to brand image and appeal to driving enthusiasts.