Ferrari’s high-revving powerplants are the beating heart of any of its road or racing cars, but the Prancing Horse’s own aren’t the only vehicles to carry Ferrari engines. Lancias, Alfa Romoes, Maseratis and countless F1 teams have benefited from Maranello’s powertrain expertise. But an SUV made in Detroit? Has the rapidly integrating Fiat-Chrysler empire lost the plot?

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The alliance’s chief executive Sergio Marchionne has big plans for Jeep that includes building a Maserati version of the new Grand Cherokee right here in the good ol’ U-S-of-A, at the Jefferson North assembly plant in Detroit. With Jeep underpinnings, though, the lingering question has been whether the Trident-badged model would come across as more Italian in character or more American.

According to reports, Marchionne is adamant that the Maserati SUV will carry an engine designed (if not necessarily built) by Ferrari. The high-riding application may be a first for a Ferrari engine, but if arch-rival Lamborghini could port the Countach’s V12 into the LM002, we suppose anything’s possible.