Tannen Maury/European Pressphoto AgencyHarald Wester, chief executive of Maserati, with Sergio Marchionne, the Fiat brand chief, on Tuesday, with the Kubang concept.Shown Tuesday, Jan. 10: Maserati Kubang concept.
What is it? The Kubang concept, which was shown in September at the Frankfurt show, made its North American debut a few miles away from Chrysler’s Jefferson North assembly plant, where the S.U.V. will be manufactured on the same platform as the Jeep Grand Cherokee, its corporate cousin under Fiat Group. Perhaps to downplay this truth, a group of bespectacled Italian engineers, designers and executives — including Sergio Marchionne, the Fiat brand chairman, dressed in his customary black sweater and brown leather shoes — constantly milled about the vehicle.
Is it real? Yes, but not in name. Jeffrey Ehoodin, a spokesman for Maserati, said that the production vehicle would carry an Italian name that was “more beautiful.” Jefferson North will start assembling the S.U.V. in 2013.
What they said: “The idea of a concept is not new to the U.S.,” said Harald Wester, Maserati’s chief executive. “In 2003, Maserati was already considering it.” Mr. Wester was alluding to the first Kubang S.U.V. concept, created by the Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The executive was also keen to stress the concept’s pedigree. “All major systems will be one-hundred-percent Maserati perfect,” he said.
What they didn’t say: “Jeep,” “Chrysler,” “Jefferson North.”
What makes it tick? The production version of the Kubang would carry a V-8 built in Maranello, Italy, by engineers from Ferrari, yet another Fiat Group relation, and Maserati. The powertrain will be shipped to Michigan and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that would be produced in Germany. “The suspension, brakes and steering will be Maserati-engineered,” Mr. Wester said.
How much, how soon? Though the S.U.V. enters production next year, a showroom timetable wasn’t announced, nor were Maserati representatives keen to discuss pricing.
How’s it look? The Quattroporte and Gran Turismo are salient modern-day reminders that Maserati knows how to do high style. The Kubang’s bulbous proportions, drafted by Maserati’s Lorenzo Ramaciotti, suggest a new form language at work in Modena, but it’s not clear whether it would extend to other trident-badged vehicles.