Maserati expands lineup with Kubang premium SUV

Reprising a name used nearly a decade ago for a concept car, Maserati has introduced its latest model: An SUV based on the same platform used for the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mercedes-Benz M-Class.

The Fiat-owned Italian automaker says that the Kubang will be powered by both a Ferrari/Maserati-sourced 4.7-liter V8 and a 3.0-liter turbodiesel. The V8 should put out at least 450 horsepower, while the diesel offering will crank out more than 300 ponies. Both engines will be mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, the same unit that will be offered in various Chrysler products over the next few years.

This most international crossover will be “100 percent Maserati,” the company says. Designed by Lorenzo Ramaciotti in Italy, the Kubang shares little more than a vague windshield angle profile with its Jeep cousin. Where the Jeep and Mercedes-Benz feature more upright D-pillars, the Maserati goes in a direction more like the Infiniti FX. From the front, the Kubang is aggressive with a pronounced Maserati grille and bright, wide headlamps that run across much of the fascia.

Underneath its body, the Kubang features a Maserati-developed suspension and brake system that the company says will give it top-notch on-road performance befitting the legendary brand’s trident logo.[via : Left lane]