Gojirra99

Maserati: 'diesels not unthinkable'

24 March 2006


• Maserati intends to diversify in future
• More affordable cars, including 4x4s, possible
• Diesel engines could also be considered

Italian sports and luxury car manufacturer Maserati could start to diversify in the next couple of years, and may even consider diesel power.

The company currently produces sports coupes and roadsters, and the high-performance Quattroporte saloon sold almost 5700 cars last year. Maserati is on course to hit its target of between 8000 and 9000 cars a year through steady growth.

Chief executive Karl-Heinz Kalbfell says the company would then consider new cars to introduce, such as the Kubang 4x4 displayed at the Detroit Motor Show in 2003.

The aim would be to also introduce more affordable models between £50,000 and £65,000. Mr Kalbfell also said diesel-engined Maseratis are also not totally unthinkable given this expansion.

Maserati split from Ferrari in 2005 and is now most closely associated with Alfa Romeo within the Fiat empire. Mr Kalbfell promised, 'There will never be an Alfa with a Maserati badge and never a Maserati with an Alfa badge, because even if you think you are being clever, the customers will tell you different.'

source : whatcar.com

Gojirra99

Note the Texas plates. . . gets ya thinkin', huh?


By Giorgetto Giugiaro

"I decided that there was still something that could be done with the SUV concept. To me, they tend to look more like off-roaders that have gradually been "civilized" rather than real automobiles. They've got a lot going for them, but for some reason they never seem to offer the kind of sublime driving pleasure and all-round, all-weather condition safety that are two givens of other modern cars.

When Montezemolo talked to me about creating a whole new, ultra-versatile Maserati, I decided we should do something that really pushed the envelope. We'd do a whole new take on the genuine Maserati GT that would make it perfect for sporty and dynamic demanding drivers, and what we came up with was the GT Wagon concept.

So that's how Kubang came to be. It all happened very fast. We didn't have to research or review our ideas and concepts. There were no set parameters we had to keep in mind either. With the Kubang, we stretched the concept of the automobile as far as our imaginations would let us, without losing anything that would be expected from a thoroughbred GT.

I'm very happy with this design. As a constructor, Maserati has always had its finger on the pulse of what drivers right across the board want and that has often seen it marry seemingly diverse features in a single car: just think of the way it combined the elegance and sophistication of the Mistral and the 3500GT with obviously racing-inspired performance. And so I was thrilled that Maserati gave me the brief to open a whole new chapter in a cutting edge segment that has completely changed the face of our roads in the last few years."


A thoroughbred GT and an authentic WAGON rolled into one: that's the GT WAGON.

The GT Wagon concept involved designing a high performance car with torque control on all its four wheels, optimal weight distribution (48/52% front and rear respectively) and a center of gravity 100 mm lower than in the average SUV. It also had to be able to meet the demands of all kinds of sports and leisure-oriented activities.

Named after a Javan wind, as is traditional for Maseratis, the Maserati Kubang concept car is the result of the combination of a 390bhp Maserati eight-cylinder "V" engine and a versatile body that promises the same standard of safety and efficiency as a thoroughbred sports car.

Even the lower, sporty driving position stands out in the SUV category as it offers the driver a truly exceptional front view of the road.


GT HIGH PERFORMANCE - V8 - 390 BHP - LOW CENTER OF GRAVITY - 4WD WAGON HIGHLY VERSATILE - ACCESSABILITY - SPORTY DRIVING POSITION - HIGHLY VERSATILE

Performance and leisure.

The roomy interior architecture is revolutionary too with plenty of passenger and driver space and maximum modularity - all wrapped up in a sporty-looking high performance package, of course. The interior can seat five (two in front and three in back) or four in the Executive option (two front seats and two back). Two further seats can also be fitted to add a third row.

Personalization: a finaltouch of exclusivity and pleasure.

Maserati's trademark exclusivity and sophistication shines out among all the Kubang's other features too. No idea has been left out when it comes to onboard comfort and electronics and yet the customer still has enormous freedom to personalize. The Kubang drives home once again the fact that Maserati builds cars to be yours and no one else's, courtesy of the "Officine Alfieri Maserati" personalisation program.

Highly versatile.

The Kubang principle of combining fun behind the wheel, performance and maximum versatility even extend to the trunk. The rear door hinges high up on the roof to make loading up the trunk comfortable even when from above. But that's not all: its bottom section also flips down separately to make loading from a lower position easy. The maximum total trunk capacity is 1,500 liters.

A thrilling sporty drive.

Maserati wanted the Kubang to be a versatile all-rounder and so we gave it 4WD, but we stopped short of making it a true off-roader, as that would have gone completely against the whole GT philosophy. The six-speed plus reverse transmission comes with a mechanical electro-hydraulic control, developed especially with fully automatic use in mind.

SPECIFICATIONS
Vehicle dimensions Length 4,984 mm
Width 1,942 mm
Height 1,650 mm
Engine architecture Maserati eight-cylinder "V" engine, 4,244 cc
Engine performance Max. horse power 390 bhp @ 7,000 rpm
Peak torque 451 N m (330lb-ft) @ 4,500 rpm
Weight distribution (front/rear) 48 - 52 %
Wheel dimensions 19"/20" depending on set-up
Trunk floor up to waistline 600 liters
Load capacity --
with rear seats down/up to waistline > 1,000 liters
Load capacity --
rear seats down/above waistline
> 1,500 liters
Acceleration 0 - 100 km
(0 - 62mph) approx. 5.5 secs.
Maximum speed approx. >158.5 mph

source : maseratinet.com

mmarshall

A BLONDE Italian model showing off the Kubang?
Sure don't see too many of those....unless it comes out of a bottle. Most Italians, especially native ones, have wavy black hair.

Anyway, if the company DOES expand, maybe soon more people may be able to join in the words of that old song by Jim Walsh. Some of you may remember it: :

...............my Maserati does one-eighty-five.........
...............I lost my license, now I can't drive.