The Maserati Kubang, which debuted at last month’s Frankfurt Motor Show, has been controversial for its Jeep Grand Cherokee underpinnings, its status as Maserati’s first SUV and what some perceive to be a rather graceless moniker.
Maserati seems to agree with the criticism leveled at the SUV, at least on the subject of its name – the company recently filed a patent application in Europe for the name ‘Cinqueporte.’ As there’s little else in the pipeline for Maserati at the moment, product-wise, it’s reasonable to conclude that the name is headed to the automaker’s new SUV.
While Cinqueporte certainly rolls off the tongue in a way Kubang never will, its meaning, literally “five-door” in Italian, is actually fairly mundane. It would fit in nicely alongside Maseratti’s Quattroporte (four-door) sedan, though.
Despite its Jeep-sourced platform, the Italian automaker says that the SUV will be “100 percent Maserati,” featuring a 4.7-liter, unique styling inside and out, Maserati-developed suspension and brake systems and a host of other distinct touches.
The SUV will be built at Chrysler’s Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Michigan.
References
1.’Will the Maserati…’ view
