Last year, Fiat had announced the introduction of the iconic American Jeep brand in India. The launch of the American brand in our country is getting closer and will take place in October this year. The Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee models have been spotted recently in a Fiat service centre situated in Chennai. Two models of Jeep Grand Cherokee have been spotted including the latest 2014 model and the previous generation model.
Two models of Wrangler have been spotted – Unlimited and Sport. All these models are said to be tested in India for 1.5 lakh kms each in extreme conditions and different terrains. Initially, the Jeep SUVs will be imported to India from North America via the CBU route and eventually Fiat will commence local assembly, depending on the response of the market. Expect prices to start at Rs. 25 lakhs for the Wrangler, going up to Rs. 40 lakhs for the Grand Cherokee.
The Indian market will get the latest generation 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is likely to be powered by a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine. The V6 oil burner produces a maximum power of 247 BHP at 4000 RPM and a peak torque of 570 Nm at 2000 RPM, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The 2014 Grand Cherokee and the previous generation model can be differentiated with updated styling elements such as LED DRLs and revised bumpers.
The Jeep Wrangler is a compact all-wheel drive SUV, meant for serious off-roading. It is likely to be powered by a 4-cylinder, common-rail 2.8-litre diesel engine which produces a peak power of 197 BHP and 460 Nm of torque, mated to an option of a 6-speed manual and 5-speed automatic transmission. Jeep will commence operations in 10 big cities of India and select Fiat dealers will set up infrastructure for Jeep retail and service.
Source – Team Fiat India