Jeep India organised a private preview of their product lineup for prospective customers in Kerala with the Grand Cherokee SRT and Wrangler Unlimited showcased at the event.
Jeep is finally geared up to commence operations in India in February after an extensive delay. Just a month before the launch, the Fiat Chrysler owned automaker organised a private preview of their product lineup for prospective buyers in Kerala. The American manufacturer will initially sell the Wrangler Unlimited and the Grand Cherokee along with the performance oriented SRT variant of the latter, while a C-segment SUV to be produced at Fiat’s Ranjangaon plant will be launched later.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is powered by a 6.4-litre HEMI V8 engine that produces 475 BHP and 644 Nm of torque while the diesel variant is powered a 3.0-litre V6 engine which is good to produce 243 BHP and 569 Nm. Both of them are mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and get paddle shifters to send power to all four wheels. The performance variant will directly rival the BMW X5 M, Porsche Cayenne and the likes while the standard variant will take on the Volvo XC90, Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GL among others.
The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited will sit below the Grand Cherokee and will be powered by a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine that produces 275 BHP and 359 Nm of torque while the diesel variant will have a 2.8-litre turbocharged engine that produces 197 BHP and 451 Nm of torque. The premium off-roader is expected to come with a 5-speed automatic gearbox. The Wrangler is what defines the Jeep brand with its off-roading abilities and will carve out a niche set of customers with its functional appeal.
Jeep’s Indian lineup will be showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo which is scheduled to commence on 3rd February with 5th-9th February being days for the general public. Sales will begin by mid-2016 with the company expecting to retail 1500-2000 units in 2017. Until the manufacturer sets up a chain of dealerships for itself, the premium SUVs will be sold through Fiat dealerships in all major cities.
Source – Team FMC