NOT so long ago purists would have held their hands up in horror at the though of a four-door Porsche or Aston Martin, but it's now a reality.

Now Italian sports car maker Maserati has gone a step further.

At the Frankfurt Motor Show it unveiled the Maserati Kubang SUV, its first venture into this growing segment.

Maserati says it represents a natural direction to increase its product range and strengthen its presence in the sport luxury market.

But it's not a complete surprise. At the Detroit Auto Show in 2003 the Italian stable presented a concept SUV car, and now it is a reality.

Jeep, now part of the Fiat group which owns Maserati, may have had an influence in pushing forward the Kubang project but the Italian arm says the new SUV is a pure Maserati.

Styling and all major system components of the luxury SUV will unmistakably be Maserati sourced, including engine, suspensions, brakes plus handling and performance engineering.

New-generation high-tech Maserati engines will be designed and produced in Maranello by Ferrari.