Maserati used the 2012 Detroit show to reconfirm its plan to produce an SUV—something it has been considering since the original Kubang concept was shown here in 2003. The brand’s first off-roader will also use that name; it was previewed at last year’s Geneva show and brought out again in the Motor City along with a few details.
First and foremost is confirmation that it will be built just down the road at Chrysler’s Jefferson North assembly plant. This confirms, if not overtly, that the Kubang will share its platform with the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango, which in turn share theirs with the newest Mercedes M-class. So this Masereep-Benz is somewhat of an automotive turducken. Maserati assures us that it will have its hand in the recipe, as its engineers will be responsible for the steering, brakes, and suspension. A next-gen Maserati V-8—likely a revision of the brand’s current engine family—will be built by Ferrari and paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Kubang is likely a year or so away from production, and should arrive for the 2014 model year.
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