Maserati is at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show with four models: the luxury SUV Kubang, the GranTurismo Sport, the GranTurismo S Automatica and the GranCabrio Sport. The Kubang is the model that marks the entry of the prestigious Italian manufacturer in the SUV market and has been developed alongside American ally Chrysler: the design of the car was created at the Maserati Style Center and all its key mechanical features (meaning brakes, steering, suspension and electronics) have been developed by Italian engineers.

The Maserati GranTurismo Sport was premiered at the recent 2012 Geneva Motor Show and is pushed by a powerful 4.7-litre V8 engine delivering 460 hp and 520 Nm of maximum torque. This unit can be mated to a 6-speed “MC Shift” sequential or a 6-speed automatic gearbox: with the former the GranTurismo Sport would hit the 100 km/h (62 mph) mark from standstill in just 4.7 seconds, with the latter it will need 4.8 seconds to do that, reaching 300 km/h (186 mph) of top speed with both gearboxes.

The Maserati GranTurismo S Automatica instead is powered by a 4.7-litre unit delivering 440 hp and 490 Nm of peak torque and uses a 6-speed automatic gearbox that uses four driving modes: Auto Normal, Auto Sport, Auto ICE and even manual. Top speed for this car is 295 km/h (183 mph), while the 0-100 km/h sprint time is rated at 5 secs. The already known GranCabrio Sport comes with a 4.7-litre unit credited with an output of 450 hp and 510 Nm of torque which pushes the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds with 285 km/h (177 mph) of top speed.

View the full Maserati stand live @ the 2012 Beijing Motor Show photo gallery

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Maserati introduces the Kubang SUV concept to the North American public at the 2012 NAIAS. The model was designed at the Maserati Style Center by Lorenzo Ramaciotti, and is bound to become the first Maserati car to be assembled on the other side of the Atlantic. However, the whole project will be developed by Maserati in Italy, meaning that the Italian engineers will take care of suspension, brakes, steering and electronics. Besides, a team led by Paolo Martinelli -Head of the Maserati Powertrain Department and for nearly 30 years at Ferrari, where he also served as engine chief of the Formula 1 racing team during the Schumacher era - is currently developing a new range of high-tech engines for the Kubang, which will eventually be produced at the Ferrari plant in Maranello and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. .

In the meanwhile, the house of the trident can enjoy the brilliant commercial results for the year 2011: Maserati registered a +10% in worldwide sales with a +21% in North America, that still is Maserati’s main market thanks to its 2,465 sold units. The second most important market for Maserati is China, which recorded almost a +50% in comparison to the previous year, and then Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, UAE, Switzerland and Honk Kong.

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The new Maserati SUV presented at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show gets the Kubang name which was first introduced back in Detroit in 2003. In this first video of the Maserati Kubang, we get a better look at its style. Despite using the Jeep Grand Cherokee platform, there probably won’t be much else in common between the American and Italian cousins by the time the Kubang makes it to production.

While a diesel engine will be borrowed from the Grand Cherokee, the flagship SUV will likely fall into Maserati tradition with a V8 Ferrari engine. After the long introduction of Maserati history (and a terrible song!), the video gives us an inkling into just how well the Maserati Kubang creation might compete with other luxury SUVs on the market. Check it out above and see our live Frankfurt pics below.

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The brand new Maserati SUV got its debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and the company has now released official pics and a video of its first foray into the SUV segment. The Maserati Kubang will become Italy’s competitor to the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes M-Class.

The jury is very much out at the moment as to whether the Kubang will be successfully able to do that but it seems the car market could be ready for a new luxury SUV like the Cayenne, that doesn’t traditionally form part of the line-up. Still Maserati will have to do the Kubang well if it’s to compete in this class.

The Kubang is the result of a long SUV development project for Maserati but which perhaps only really became possible with the Fiat-Chrysler deal. No real future details on its production are available at the moment, but we can check out new Kubang official pics and this video presentation live from Frankfurt.

Continue reading: Maserati Kubang pics and video

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The first ever Maserati SUV has been presented at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. You can see the Maserati Kubang in these live Frankfurt pics and make up your mind whether it’s the sexiest SUV around or an abominable use of the Maserati brand. The Kubang has been designed by Lorenzo Ramaciotti and is intended to maintain all the best aspects of Maserati design from its sedana and coupé models.

The Maserati Kubang is an imposing but sinuous model which should make its mark in the world of SUVs. If Porsche did it, then Maserati can, too. New technical solutions for the brand will be introduced on this model including brand new suspension and an eight-speed transmission. Continued collaboration with Ferrari will happen, especially on the engine front as Maserati powertrains are currently managed by Paolo Martinelli who has experience in Ferrari competition competition models.

Currently the engines of the new Maserati Kubang SUV haven’t been announced, but we’ll probably get a new series of V8 units assembled by Ferrari. The new SUV could also debut Maserati’s first diesel with a three-litre V6 based on that of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. And again we see how the Fiat-Chrysler deal has paid off for the Italians. See what you think in the live Kubang pics below.

Continue reading: Maserati Kubang live at 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

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