Maserati Kubang rendering
The Kubang name may be going out with a bang, and there’s a strong possibility the Maserati SUV may arrive in the States under a different moniker: Cinqueporte.
The Kubang carries its name from the first Maserati SUV concept that was introduced at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show, but that may soon change. Cars UK is reporting the automaker has filed a patent application in Europe for the name, “Cinqueporte,” which translates to five doors. If you put the pieces of the puzzle together, this could imply the name is for the SUV – unless the Trident label has something else up its sleeve.
Although it may be a tongue-twister, Cinqueporte would be a more fitting name for the SUV, considering there is also the Quattroporte, as well as being more recognizably Italian. Despite critics alledging it won’t be a “true” Maserati because of plans to build it in Michigan, it will keep true to its roots in at least one area: The engine is promised to be exclusive to the Maserati, and widely believed to be a version of the Ferrari- built 4.7-liter V-8 used in the Quattroporte, and Granturismo. Performance brakes, suspension, and steering will also be Modena-engineered.
