Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and Grand Cherokee launched

On the 75th anniversary of Jeep, Fiat India has finally launched the iconic brand in India. With the launch of the brand, come the introduction of the company’s first three products, the Wrangler Unlimited, Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee SRT.
Priced at Rs 71.59 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi, the Wrangler Unlimited will be the most affordable Jeep to buy in India. Jeep plans to keep its products niche and as a result has priced them at a high premium. The Wrangler comes only in 5 door form and is powered by a 4-cylinder 2.8-litre diesel engine. It makes 197bhp of power and 460Nm of torque. A low ratio transfer case, two solid axles and Jeep’s ‘trail rated’ badge gives it’s excellent off-road credentials. It also comes with a long list of creature comforts and design and cabin flexibility that has never been seen before among off-roaders.
The Grand Cherokee will be available in two variants, Limited and Summit, the big difference being in the 4WD system — the former has a 2-speed transfer case and the latter has a electronic LSD. Powered by a 3-litre V6 diesel engine, the Grand Cherokee makes 240bhp and 570Nm and is mated to a 8-speed auto box. The Summit is priced at Rs 1.03 crore and the Limited will cost you Rs 93.64 lakh.
Jeep’s performance SUV, the Grand Cherokee SRT comes with a 6.4-litre naturally aspirated HEMI V8 engine that makes 469bhp and 624Nm. 0-100kmph comes in a claimed 5 seconds and the SRT too comes with a 8-speed automatic.
As for Jeep’s India plans, the first dealership opens today in Ahmedabad. It will be followed by Delhi and Chennai next month. Mumbai gets a outlet in October followed by another dealership in the capital before Diwali. Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi and Bengaluru will get their own Jeep dealerships by end of year. Jeep has invested 280 million dollars in the Ranjangaon facility to localise it’s products but as of now, the products are imported as CBUs. We could see a massive price correction once local assembly starts. In 2017, Jeep also plans to launch the Renegade compact SUV that we spotted testing yesterday. That should rake in the numbers as it will be made in India and should get competitive prices.