“Jeep Renegade SUV for India” rumours refuse to die

On 6th December 2012, Jeep’s CEO Mr. Mike Manley, made a dramatic entry into India, announcing Fiat’s plans of launching a range of Jeep SUVs in India. The first Jeeps – Wrangler and Grand Cherokee – were scheduled to be launched in India during 2013 through the completely built unit (CBU).

We’re in the middle of 2014 and there’s no sign of either the Wrangler or the Grand Cherokee, two SUVs that are intended to serve as brand builders. Back in 2012, Mr. Manley also announced that Jeep would launch B-Segment (now, known as the Renegade) and C-Segment SUVs in India, and that Fiat’s Ranjangaon factory in Pune would become a major export base for the American SUV brand.

A recently released Fiat-Chrysler global product roadmap, which also deals with the Asia Pacific (APAC) market of which India is a part, has different things to say though. The product roadmap makes no mention of the Jeep Renegade for the APAC market, even as the C-Segment SUV seems to be on schedule for a 2016 launch.

Click here for Fiat-Chrysler India’s 12 car blitz.

Although the product roadmap reads differently, yet another report that has emerged online suggests that the Renegade is indeed on its way to India, alongside the C-Segment Jeep SUV. Fiat Chrysler India’s change in heart regarding the Renegade is said to have come around with customer clinics indicating a strong demand for such an SUV.

While the C-Segment SUV, likely to be priced between 15-20 lakh rupees, is expected to arrive in 2016, a timeline for the Renegade’s launch in India remains unknown at this point in time. Fiat-Chrysler’s Research and Development operation at Chennai will be looking to localize the Renegade and customize the SUV for the Indian market with a downsized turbo diesel engine, amongst other such changes.

All these measures will be aimed at making the Renegade more affordable, in order to allow Fiat Chrysler India to slot the SUV in the 10 lakh rupee price bracket, which hosts similar products such as the Renault Duster and the Nissan Terrano. Click here for all you need to know about the recently unveiled Jeep Renegade SUV.

Via AutoCarIndia