Forbes.com
Date: Sunday Sep. 4, 2011 7:33 AM ET
We originally wanted to title this article, "Why would Maserati and Bentley want to sell SUVs?" Then we recalled the words of famous felon Willie Sutton who responded, when asked why he robbed banks, "Because that's where the money's at."
Sport-utility vehicles may be on the verge of becoming passé here in the U.S., but there's apparently room for growth in global markets where an inbred fascination with big trucks is not part of the culture. According to Bloomberg News, demand for upscale SUVs has nearly doubled since 2000 with high-end carmakers actively targeting what's become a lucrative market segment.
It's debatable whether getting into the people-mover business might sully either Maserati or Bentley's top-shelf image, but selling the Cayenne hasn't seemed to hurt Porsche's sports-car credibility despite being responsible for roughly half of the company's sales. Likewise, Mercedes-Benz makes bushels of money selling no less than five SUVs alongside its luxury cars – including the army surplus-styled $107,100 G-Class – and Land Rover has had no trouble attracting affluent motorists to its overpriced wagons over the years.
Maserati reportedly plans to build its first-ever SUV here in the U.S. at Chrysler Group LLC's Jefferson North assembly plant alongside the vehicle upon which it will be based, the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Both Maserati and Chrysler are operated by the Fiat Group, with this being but one step in the ongoing integration of the automakers' various brands. ....
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