[nskumar]

Jeep is all set to join the compact SUV segment.
A new compact Jeep, which will be based on the Fiat 500X, has been caught during testing. The American off-roading brand is vying to cash in on the popularity of city-based SUVs with a new baby Jeep being under final development to compete against the likes of the Chevrolet Trax, Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster.

The baby Jeep will be powered by petrol and diesel engines sourced from Fiat. The current Fiat 500 models are powered by 0.9-litre, 1.4 litre petrol engines and a 1.3-litre diesel engine. We can expect the baby Jeep to carry the same engines.

The baby Jeep is expected to be available with all-wheel-drive, at least as an option. This is great news for all the Jeep fans around the world who can now purchase a very affordable Jeep vehicle for both off-roading and city use.

The small SUV is expected to carry all the traits of the Jeep family with priority focused on fuel economy and driving dynamics. This will be a good alternative for buyers considering big sedans. Though this model won’t carry the big bully looks of its brothers, the Jeep nameplate is enough to lure buyers to buy one.

This new Jeep model is expected to be launched in early 2015. When launched, this vehicle will replace the Compass and Patriot models. Fiat has already announced the launch of the Jeep brand in India and the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee have been caught doing testing in extreme conditions and different terrains. We can expect the baby Jeep to come to our shores a year after the global launch. By that time the infrastructure for Jeep retail and service would have been set up and it will be easy for the company to launch their global models in our country.

Definitely this is based on fiat 500x.Is it badge engineered product?

source : www.motorbeam.com

[E63]

This is the one car on which Fiat's fortune in India depends.
But then, I dont think it will work.
Not butch enough for our Macho obsessed market.

[HammerHead]

Isn't that Fiat 500L?
Pic : Google search

Check more details here
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...0l-5-door.html

[nskumar]

The Jeep will be the first vehicle to go into production and it will be sold globally. The Fiat 500X will follow shortly thereafter

[julupani]

In my view this test mule is not the Jeep. The mini-Jeep, though likely to be based on the 500X with many common components, is likely to have distinctive styling. I dont think FIAT will mess with a brand as strong as Jeep by slapping a Jeep badge and grille on a rather feminine and funky looking FIAT like the 500L.

I think, this test mule is just to test the 500L in the USA. The FIAT 500 has done remarkably well in the USA, taking into account the extremely small size of the 500 and Americas penchant for extraordinarily large cars. The 500L would be logical next model to be introduced under the FIAT brand in USA. FIAT may be testing a larger engine to put in the 500L for the US market, may be something from the stables of VM Motori.

[Sommos]

Originally Posted by E63

This is the one car on which Fiat's fortune in India depends.
But then, I dont think it will work.
Not butch enough for our Macho obsessed market.

This seems to be a speculation only. There is nothing in the report to confirm the launch of this car in India. Even if the OP is to be believed, the global launch is scheduled for 2015 and the India launch maybe in early 2016, and that is a long time.

Also it is too early to confirm the shape and size of the baby SUV and a lot can change before it is actually produced. As far as I remember Fiat has clarified earlier that the baby SUV will be a Jeep product and not a rebadged Fiat.

[nskumar]

That is indeed fiat 500 L. 500L badging at the rear.thanks hammerhead and julu

[nskumar]

Rendering of fiat 500X

[julupani]

Originally Posted by nskumar

That is indeed fiat 500 L. 500L badging at the rear.thanks hammerhead and julu

Actually, I no longer agree with myself.

These pictures are much more clear and from a better angle. That is surely not a FIAT 500. Its definitely a high riding big wheels SUV and not a European MPV. The ground clearance and size of the wheels means this is surely going to be Jeep.

I think this may be an early test mule for a common FIAT-Jeep SUV, whose styling has not been frozen yet. Thus for now its sporting the body of a 500L.

[Nitrous Power]

Originally Posted by julupani

Actually, I no longer agree with myself.

These pictures are much more clear and from a better angle. That is surely not a FIAT 500. Its definitely a high riding big wheels SUV and not a European MPV. The ground clearance and size of the wheels means this is surely going to be Jeep.

I think this may be an early test mule for a common FIAT-Jeep SUV, whose styling has not been frozen yet. Thus for now its sporting the body of a 500L.

I agree with you. I think this test mule is sporting body of 500L but it might be an urban SUV underneath. Check the side profile pic, the rear overhang looks very awkward and doesn't look like 500L's rear overhang.

[julupani]

Originally Posted by Nitrous Power

I agree with you. I think this test mule is sporting body of 500L but it might be an urban SUV underneath. Check the side profile pic, the rear overhang looks very awkward and doesn't look like 500L's rear overhang.

Hmm, you are right. Actually, the rear wheel is not even at the center of the rear wheel well. That pretty much confirms that the body is a temporary cover, meant to trick people into thinking its a 500L.

Also the headlight cluster is not from the 500L. The 500L has a single bulb cluster, while this one seems to have two bulbs, including one projector unit.

Hopefully the final design will stay closer to Jeep design language rather than FIAT design language.

[AyAn!]

Originally Posted by Nitrous Power

Check the side profile pic, the rear overhang looks very awkward and doesn't look like 500L's rear overhang.

Originally Posted by julupani

Actually, the rear wheel is not even at the center of the rear wheel well

If you look closely, this is a mildly stretched 500L bodyshell. Immediately after the C pillar, there's a wee bit of extra filler metal that makes the rear wheel fit a little awkwardly in the longish rear wheel well, and that obviously results in larger rear overhang too.

[anandpadhye]

Hmm...whether it's Jeep or Fiat, this thing is ugly. I hope Jeep do not dilute their portfolio with such stupid things.

[1100D]

Infact what Jeep should have done is a smaller, back to basics Wrangler, with a smaller engine and a much lighter price tag, much in the line of what a Jeep should be. Looks like they are on the way to convert one American Icon to just another brand.

[volkman10]

New baby Jeep SUV spotted -rival to Nissan's Juke and Ford's ES, will debut in March at Geneva. Launch expected later this year.

Its baby SUV will be the “most capable off-road vehicle in the segment” when it arrives. These spy pictures show development on the new model is well underway, with the Jeep bar grille clearly visible under its camouflage. The baby Jeep's Fiat 500L underpinnings are also clear, especially at the rear.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/ge...atest-pictures