Jeep’s parent company, FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) has filed a Federal Trade Commission complaint against India’s leading SUV marker – Mahindra & Mahindra in the United States. The company has asked the US International Trade Commission to investigate into the Mahindra Roxor SUV that, according to FCA, has copied styling elements of the Willys Jeep that was used in the World War II.
The investigation will be made under section 337 of the US Tariff Act of 1930. The Roxor features Jeep’s signature “boxy body shape with flat-appearing vertical sides and rear body ending at about the same height as the hood”, said the company. The Italian & American carmaker wants to ban the sales and imports of the Mahindra Roxor in US. Read – Mahindra To Launch Three New Cars This Year
Mahindra Roxor SUV Picture Gallery
Mahindra imports the off-roader into the US via CKD (Completely Knocked Down) route and then assemble it at its plant in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It helps the carmaker curb manufacturing cost and price the vehicle relatively very low than Jeep. Read – Mahindra Thar, Scorpio & XUV500 To Get Generation Change
FCA says that Mahindra manufactures the SUV at a lower price in India, and sells it in the US market. This will “harm goodwill and business” of FCA in the United States. For people not in the know, Mahindra has been producing and selling Jeeps in India under license from Willys since 1940s. The case, however, is different in the United States.
Now it’s upto US International Trade commission to decide on whether Mahindra & Mahindra will be allowed to continue selling its two-seater ROXOR in US. Read – This Will Be Mahindra’s Most Expensive SUV In India
Mahindra Roxor was first announced in November 2017, and launched in an electronically speed limited avatar in the US in March, 2018. For power, this two-seater 4X4 SUV uses a 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine that’s good enough for 62bhp of power and 195Nm of torque. Transmission on offer is a 5-speed manual gearbox with a 2-speed low-ratio gearbox.
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