Jeep is a subsidiary brand of Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles ( FCA ) and FCA recently announced the local production of 4 Jeep SUVs in India, including the iconic Wrangler and the legendary Grand Cherokee. We had also earlier reported that the made-in-India Jeep Wrangler will be launched in India on the 15th of March. Now, Jeep has commenced the production of the Wrangler and 26 Jeep dealerships across India have also started accepting bookings for the same.
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Jeep will assemble Wrangler in the country at its Ranjangaon facility and the company has also announced an investment of ₹ 180 crore in India towards local manufacturing of the Wrangler.
Jeep India launched the 2020 Wrangler in the country at ₹ 63.94 lakh (ex-showroom) last year and the company also managed to sell the first batch of the SUV last year only. After its local assembly, the overall pricing of the car should expectedly drop significantly.
The Jeep Wrangler comes with an updated cabin with a revised dashboard, while the centre stage is taken by an Uconnect 4C NAV 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone automatic climate control and more. The new Wrangler also comes with features like passive keyless entry, push-button start, and much more. The upcoming Wrangler will be a five-door version carrying its iconic old school design, 18-inch alloy wheels, signature seven-slat grille, a drop-down windshield, and removable doors and roof.
Under the hood, there is a 2.0-litre high power turbo petrol engine which churns out 268 PS of power and 400 Nm of torque. This engine comes mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission. It comes with diff locks which are activated electrically using a switch given on the central console. It benefits from a dedicated four-wheel-drive (4WD) high and low mode along with a new 4WD auto mode. Being a Wrangler, the off-road capability is at the heart of this SUV. It will have exceptional ground clearance, water fording ability, and manoeuvrability on almost any surface.
The Wrangler is an absolute legend when the roads end. Over the years, no one has come much close to challenging the legacy of the Wrangler and rightly so. Land Rover Defender and to an extent the Mercedes G-Wagon can be classified as it rivals to an extent but both these machines have of late, have been built around on-road characteristics as well. Either way, if you want an SUV to boss around off the road as if your life depended on it, we know your pick!