Chrysler files to prevent importation of Mahindra Jeep

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

What a great picture.

I didn't realize the Grand Cherokee went back that far.

 

[newbury]

<snip>

Chrysler/Fiat can take a flying leap for all I care since they deep-sixed an American icon. Idiots.

Remember it's NOT Chrysler/Fiat - it's Fiat Chrysler.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (abbreviated as FCA) is an Italian and American multinational corporation and is the world痴 eighth largest auto maker.[6] The group was established in late 2014 by merging Fiat and Chrysler into a new holding company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, legally incorporated in the Netherlands (with headquarters in London) for tax purposes.[7] The holding company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Borsa Italiana in Milan.[8] Exor N.V., an Italian investment group controlled by the Agnelli family, owns 29.19% of FCA and controls 44.31% through a loyalty voting mechanism.

They didn't just deep-six an American icon, they bought it and now own it and have brought Chrysler quality to Fiat levels. Just like Whirlpool bought Maytag and brought the quality down to Whirlpool levels to cut costs.

I owned a Fiat 128 SL as the first car I bought new in 1975. Decent engine, decent interior. Wheel bearings would go out about every 6,000 miles. Several hundred dollars to replace properly. Learned I needed to replace wheel bearings every other oil change. Apparently things have not changed much

In 2014, the Fiat 500L was named one of the most unreliable cars of the year by Consumer Reports

from Are Fiat Reliable? An Honest Assessment of the Italian Brand | OSV

 

[oosik]

I have always owned one type of Jeep or other since we relocated to AK permanently - 1965. Unless the article I read a couple months ago was all wrong - this Mahindra "thing" can not even be driven on the public roads. You have to keep it on private property or trailer it to a ATV park. The article indicated that it would be competition for ATV's not Jeep type vehicles.

 

[jmc]

My only beef would be if the importer/competitor took an advantage of the tooling, proprietary information, etc that they were only legally entitled to thru a joint venture with Jeep.

I think Chevy had a joint venture with a Chinese company to make a car for the Chinese market. Chevy's foreign partner knocked it off with their own design and became a competitor.

 

[Tennsawdust]

My only beef would be if the importer/competitor took an advantage of the tooling, proprietary information, etc that they were only legally entitled to thru a joint venture with Jeep.

I think Chevy had a joint venture with a Chinese company to make a car for the Chinese market. Chevy's foreign partner knocked it off with their own design and became a competitor.

That was Chery Motors. The tool and die shop GM hired made two sets of tooling for it and sold the second set to Chery. Chery had their knockoff out before GM could launch theirs. Ironically they now have joint ventures together.

 

[Tennsawdust]

Jeep Files Formal Complaint to Stop Mahindra痴 Roxor 4x4 | News | Car and Driver

Mahindra of India long ago had a contract to assemble Jeeps, and then went on to build Jeeps for their domestic market.

Now they want to export their Jeeps to the US, as offroad vehicles since they don't meet US standards.

Chrysler says no. Stay tuned for lots of drama ....

It will be interesting to see how that is decided. Mahindra signed a license agreement to produce their THAR (basically a license built CJ3B that the Roxor is based on) back in 2009 when Fiat bought Chrysler. Apparently FCA doesn't believe that agreement allows them to compete against them in the U.S. market.

 

[cdaigle430]

It will be interesting to see how that is decided. Mahindra signed a license agreement to produce their THAR (basically a license built CJ3B that the Roxor is based on) back in 2009 when Fiat bought Chrysler. Apparently FCA doesn't believe that agreement allows them to compete against them in the U.S. market.

Dont mess with the Italians

 

[Rustyiron]

What a great picture.

I didn't realize the Grand Cherokee went back that far.

Iirc they were all just a Cherokee back then, they did have a "Chief" model around the mid 70's that came with some wide tires and some graphics. There also was a 2 door model, just don't remember if they had a dif name for it. Just remembered there was a "Wagoneer" in the mix also. My memory is that the Wagoneer was a bit fancier than the Cherokee and may have been the pre cursor to today's "suv" with all the carpet and other luxury amenities.

 

[California]

Wagoneer superceded Willys Wagon in about 1963. The first Wagoneers had a big OHC 6-cylinder. The first Cherokee was a later lower-trim level of Wagoneer with only 2 doors, wide tires and fender extensions, slightly raised suspension.

And I learned after my pictured Wagoneer got hit (while parked) that they went to a slightly shorter wheelbase after the early 70's and there were no replacement body parts to rebuild my '72. The later ones look the same but nothing interchanged.

Willys Wagon. I had a couple of those too. One year, each.
By the time I bought them - thoroughly used - they weren't reliable enough for backwoods adventures where the walk out would have been 20+ miles.

Mahindra makes/made a simple SUV. My phots in India, 2004.

There are lots of Jeeps in India. Mostly used as rural taxis. From markets out at the pavement, to homes and farms on footpaths.

In this photo used as taxis to a tourist site.

 

[shooterdon]

It will have a limited market.

I sold my 2010 Polaris 800XP and 2012 RZR this year and bought a used Wrangler Sahara. It can go off road or on; and do it with heat, air, wipers and washers. It had 90k miles on it but it will still outlast any of the UTV's sold.

My buddy bought a new 1000XP and it was well over $20k. He now wishes he had bought a used Jeep Wrangler.