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Maserati has joined the SUV segment with a bang, literally. It's calling its 4x4 concept, which was unveiled at Frankfurt, the Kubang. And it's sort of appropriate, because the internet tells us that ‘kubang' is Malay for ‘wallow'.
Maserati fans will doubtless be unhappy about the sullying of the marque's racing pedigree, but don't forget the initial reaction to the Cayenne wasn't entirely dissimilar — and now it's the biggest selling Porsche model. Maserati is aiming for a similar success story.
Interestingly, the idea of a Trident 4x4 was mooted way back in 2003, when the company first gave the world a glimpse of the Kubang concept at the Detroit auto show. But following poor audience response, the wraps were put back on rather sharpish. And it was never seen or heard of again — until now.
The Kubang, which will enlarge Maserati's product range, promises to be a luxurious SUV with a sporty edge. The carmaker says that today's SUVs are unable to offer the "uplifting driving pleasure that is present in high-end sports and luxury cars," and is aiming to put that right.
