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Italian car-maker Fiat plans to launch the Jeep SUV brand in India by the end of this calendar year through a separate dealership network.
Jeep is a brand from Chrysler, in which Fiat holds a majority stake (over 61 per cent).
Fiat will launch the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler, both high-end sports utility vehicles during the last quarter of the calendar year.
Jeep will initially be imported from Detroit (the home of Chrysler), before local production is considered, said Nagesh Basavanhalli, President and Managing Director, Fiat Chrysler India Operations. “We are watching the rupee behaviour and will take an appropriate decision on the product’s pricing,” said Basavanahalli, addressing a press conference.
Given the niche nature of the product, Fiat will set up a separate showroom for the Jeep brand. Dealerships will initially come up in the top 10 Indian cities.
Fiat has promised to launch nine (new or refurbished) models in the country by 2016. There will be two more Jeep products, four Fiat models and one from Abarth, another group company.
Fiat has a manufacturing plant in Ranjangaon, Pune, and 63 showrooms in the country selling the Linea and Punto models. Last year, Fiat sold 12,000 cars, down from 16,000 and 24,000 in the previous years. swetha.kannan@thehindu.co.in
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