IAA 2011: Maserati's Jeep-Based but Ferrari-Powered Kubang SUV

For better or for worse, the 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt hosted the world premiere of Maserati's second effort in the luxury SUV segment, the almost production ready Kubang.

For those of you wondering about the Italian firm's first stab at the popular category, that was the Kubang concept designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and introduced at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show, never to be heard or seen after up until now.

Designed to directly challenge the Porsche Cayenne, the slick but somewhat less impressively styled than what we were hoping for, Italian SUV, is loosely based on the same platform that underpins the new Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango, as well as the latest Mercedes-Benz ML-Class.

Maserati did not disclose specific details, but the Italians said that the "the essence and all major system components" such as the "style, engine, suspensions, brakes, handling and performance" will all be "100% Maserati".

The Modena-based automaker, which belongs to the Fiat Group, added that the Kubang will be offered with a new generation of "high-tech Maserati propriety engines" designed in house by Paolo Martinelli, Head of the Maserati Powertrain Department and for nearly 30 years at Ferrari, and will be produced in Maranello by Ferrari.

"An AT 8 speed automatic transmission and specific performance settings such as suspensions, brakes, steering will be exclusively developed in Modena for the Maserati sport luxury SUV by the Maserati Product Development Department," the company added in a statement.

We expect to hear more detailed information on the Kubang's hardware as well as Maserati's production plans in the forthcoming weeks.

Photo Gallery:

IAA 2011: Maserati SUV Photo Leaked or Photoshopped?

Here at Carscoop we are no strangers to purportedly leaked images that turn out to be photoshops so unless we have solid evidence to back up its authenticity, we treat these photos with skepticism.

The above picture of a Maserati SUV appeared in a pocket book catalogue for the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show made by/for Automotive News Europe, and it was quickly picked up by many news sites.

However, aside from the fact that the crossover model depicted here has one too many common design features with the BMW X6, we're under the impression that the same photo (the one on your right hand) appeared in an Italian magazine – the August issue of Quattroruote if we're not mistaken (maybe our Italian readers can help us out here).

Even though this story seems more or less busted, Maserati is believed to unwrap an SUV (probably in pre-production form) based on the hardware of the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee at next week’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

Story sources: Autonews catalogue , Tinypic