Maserati has been thinking of entering the SUV market for a long time, and now it’s confirmed by the boss of Fiat-Chrysler – who owns Maserati too – Sergio Marchionne. It’s coming in 2013, and that’s good news. It will be based on the current Jeep Grand Cherokee, and that’s not good news! Not that the Jeep is not any good, but an Italian design on American underpinnings does not sound like a good recipe.
As Wall Street Journal reports:
“This is just a great architecture,” Mr. Marchionne said while talking about the Cherokee. “Why wouldn’t I put a Maserati on it?”
You see, this scares Maserati fans becasue this project might lead the company back to the terrible old days of Biturbo, if you know what I’m talking about! Maserati is better off in the hands of Italians, or even on its own. Chrysler making a car for Maserati? That’s just not right. Worse still, some say the new Lancia sedan will also be based on the Chrysler 200, they probably just change the front grille and badges. Oh God!
Such projects will just help Chrysler making a few extra bucks, and also help Fiat sell a few small cars in America. It’s not in Maserati’s favor, please leave it alone!
If Porsche builds its cayenne on VW’s Tourag SUV I really don’t see why Maserati can’t build its SUV on JEEP’s underpinnings.
All they will do in michigan is put together a car that’s been designed and spec’d by Maserati..and again if some rednecks in Alabama can put together an BMW X5 (again spec’d by BMW and only put together there), I really don’t see what the problem is.
Newsflash: we are in 2010; that’s the way cars are built today.