Frankfurt: Maserati SUV

Maserati Kubang plays the Porsche Cayenne game

Is nothing sacred? Apparently not, Maserati grasping the nettle that is the disparity between what classic sporting brands built their reputations on and the kind of cars (many of) those with the money like to buy.

And, as Porsche will gladly tell you, a healthy number like to buy SUVs with posh badges and sporty grilles, no matter how incongruously applied. Or out of step with the brand heritage.

Hence this, a Maserati 4x4. It's an amusing coincidence that this car shares its Frankfurt debut with the first European showing of the 6.4-litre, HEMI-powered Jeep Cherokee SRT.

Why? Because under the skin these two are actually closely related. If you've just staggered reeling from the horror that is the 'Lancia' stand and its rebadged Chrysler knock-offs that won't be good news.

It may come as a small relief to hear that Maserati has gone to a little more effort than slapping a trident badge on the actually rather decent Cherokee. It's had the good grace to fit its own V8, which amusingly delivers similar power to the 470hp 6.4-litre SRT despite displacing three-quarters as much.

And the styling? Hard not to imagine Maserati taking a long hard look at the Cayenne, knocking back an espresso or two and thinking "well, it worked for them..." before photoshopping a Quattroporte onto the Jeep chassis and sending the plans off to the bodyshop.