The upcoming SUV by Maserati, which will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, is going to be built by Chrysler in Detroit.

The car is based on the Jeep Cherokee, so why not making it alongside that car. It would reduce the costs greatly. The car will be powered by a Ferrari V8 when it finally arrives, but they will definitely offer Chrysler’s own HEMI and Pentastar powertrains as well. That Ferrari engine can come in a box from Italy.

To all intents and purposes then, it is a Jeep Cherokee in a Maserati dress. That’s fine you know, who cares what’s underneath. All people want to is a SUV with Maserati badge. And the Cherokee underpinning is not bad after all. The new SRT8 version, especially, is one helluva beast. It is fast and versatile and will satisfy Maserati customers.

What’s slightly worrying though, is the fact that Maserati SUV is being developed just as a tool to make money for Fiat/Chrysler. It’s not being designed to be as good as it can be, because if it were, they would let the Italians engineer and build it. Such cars are never perfect!

We will see the in its concept form at IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

via: WCF