The Indian division of the American premium SUV manufacturer, FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, is finally bringing back the much awaited Jeep brand to India. Putting an end to the never-ending wait, Jeep India will be launching its SUVs in India on the 1st of September 2016. Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee will be the two models that will hit the Indian market for a price tag of Rs. 40-45 lakh and Rs. 35-40 lakh, respectively, though nothing official has been confirmed by the company. As of now, the company will import the two SUVs through CBU (completely built units) route. Both the off-roaders make their first official debut in India during the 2016 Auto Expo held in Delhi.

The Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will retail the new models through 5 exclusive dealerships in India and slowly will aim to increase the number to 20-25 to make the network stronger. The American carmaker is planning to make India a global hub for its off-roading brand, Jeep. To achieve the set goals, the company has also planned to invest around Rs. 1500 to 2000 crores to improve the manufacturing unit in India alongside setting new manufacturing plant in India for SUV by Jeep.

Also Fiat has shaken hands with Tata Motors to help the production of Jeep vehicles in the country. The plant at Ranjangaon in Maharashtra is the 4th facility outside the US where Jeep vehicles are produced in bulk.

Source:https://urcar.xyz/

Among the two Jeep models stepping their feet in the Indian soil, Wrangler Unlimited will be a 4-door SUV that will draw energy from a 2.8-liter, turbocharged CRD diesel engine that has 4 cylinders and will be able to churn out a maximum power of 197hp @3600rpm along with a peak torque of 460Nm @1600-2000rpm. The engine will be mated to a 5-speed automatic tranny that will send power to the Command-Trac shift-on-fly 4-wheel drive system. The fuel economy of the engine will be 12.2kmpl.

The 2018 Jeep Wrangler is rumored to come with Hurricane Turbo-4 2.0-liter powertrain that is expected to churn out a maximum power of 300hp. The reports have further hinted towards a huge investment of $75 million for the manufacturing of Hurricane engine. Though considering the strict CO2 and PM emission norms in Delhi and other parts of the country, the company might shift to a hybrid engine for next-gen Jeep Wrangler. The production of new Jeep vehicle in India is slated to start in India in the second quarter of 2017.

Source: https://pictures.topspeed.com/

On the other hand, the second model from Jeep, for whom car enthusiasts are waiting with bated breaths, will hit the Indian shores in two variants, christened as Summit and Limited. And adding moreto the happiness of car aficionados, the top-end SRT variant of the Jeep Grand Cherokee has also been listed on the official website of India.

This SUV will come with a 3.0-litre EcoDiesel turbocharged V6 motor that is expected to deliver a top power of 243hp and a peak torque of 570Nm. The engine will be synced with an 8-speed automatic transmission that has paddle shifters. The motor will shift power to its Quadra-Drive II in Summit model, whereas in the Limited variant the power will be send to all-wheel drive system or Quadra-Trac II. The fuel efficiency is expected to be 12.8kmpl.

The high-performance variant of Grand Cherokee, the SRT, will be available with a 6.4-litre HEMI V8 engine that is supposed to throw a maximum power of 477hp and will be mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters. When launched, the Cherokee will compete against the likes of Honda CRV and Toyota Fortuner.

Both the Jeep models will come with a standard set of features that include heated front and rear seats, 8-way power seats with memory, radio, mirror, auto-dimming rearview mirror with microphone and memory driver seat along with heated steering. In terms of safety, the SUVs will come supported with cruise control, rain brake support, airbags for driver and passengers, 4-wheel traction control, ABS, hill control, keyless entry and hill assist.