Maserati SUV will be build at the Chrysler’s Jefferson North assembly plant

It’s not a secret anymore that Maserati will unveil its first SUV concept next month at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, but what we didn’t know until today is that the Italian manufacturer plans to builds the vehicle at Chrysler Group's Jefferson North assembly plant. The upcoming SUV will be based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee and it will be a product of the Chrysler-Fiat integration. Sergio Marchionne, CEO of both Chrysler and Fiat is planning to expand Maserati and Alfa Romeo brands in order to boost profits.

Same strategy was applied by Volkswagen with Audi, according to Autonews. As a result, the luxury nameplate generates now more than 40 percent of the firm’s earnings from less than 20 percent of sales. Still, this is a big step and it could turn off fans of Maserati brand, known for its sleek Italian styling and sporty reputation.

The new Maserati will take on cars such as the Porsche Cayenne, a very important model for the German manufacturer, For those who don’t know, Porsche now relies on the SUV for half its deliveries. "It should be a real Maserati and not just another SUV," said Ian Fletcher, an IHS Automotive analyst in London. "A Maserati SUV goes in the right direction. It just needs to sit within the rest of the range." [vai - 4wheelsnews]