[cbatrody]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

AFAIK VW Tourege was priced at around 60L, still VW had to discontinue it in India. I am not sure if that was CBU or CKD, but that SUV was superior in every aspect over Cherokee which is priced more than twice or Tourege.

Not really, in fact GC not only performs neck to neck in comparison with Toureg in many parameters but outperforms it in few. Please go through the following URL:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/car-...n_touareg_2016

"The Car Connection" gives an overall rating of 8.2 out of 10 to 2016 GC but only 7.6 to 2016 Toureg.

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

And what an awkward position for that lever in the footwell, is that for parking brake release? Isn't that a flaw from safety point of view?

After thinking for one more time, I feel thats a serious flaw. Suppose the vehicle is parked at a hill descend and driver is waiting for someone while talking to rear seat occupant. Suddenly foot touches the release lever, car starts rolling down and bangs onto the car parked next, or maybe more serious than that.
Attachment 1548840

No, the car won't move if it is PARKed in an incline without the foot lever engaged. They are only an extra safety feature as far as automatic cars are concerned. The car will not roll backwards or move forward in an incline even if you accidentally disengage the foot lever, if the car is PARKed.

[bigron]

What absurd pricing.I can still fathom the mustang getting away with the price it was launched in India but over a crore for a Cherokee. I dont think anyone in their sensible mind is going to go get 1. Lets see how this pans out for Jeep.

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by cbatrody

No, the car won't move if it is PARKed in an incline without the foot lever engaged. They are only an extra safety feature as far as automatic cars are concerned. The car will not roll backwards or move forward in an incline even if you accidentally disengage the foot lever, if the car is PARKed.

Not convinced. If park brake release lever won't disengage the brake then why it is provided in first place? If car is at a standstill by relying only on the parking brake and gear is not set on park mode and someone releases the lever, then won't it disengage the brakes?

[suhaas307]

I'm gobsmacked by FCA's pricing strategy for the Jeep.

Sure, it's a lifestyle product with a lot of heritage and history, but 1 crore is just ridiculous! How incredibly naive they must be, to think that a plasticky SUV from the USA can take it up against established players that make luxurious, tech-laden SUVs like the GL(S), Q7, etc. It's not ambition, it's sheer stupidity.

A fellow car enthusiast was visibly livid when he found out the prices of these cars. That's the sort of reaction FCA has successfully mustered amongst car enthusiasts.

I mean, I thought the recently revived Mitsubishi Monterio @ 70ish was overpriced! Heck, this makes the Mustang look like a bargain. In fact, for the price you'd pay to buy the Jeep, you could buy a Mustang and still satiate your SUV craving by adding an Endeavour to your garage!

And all this after 3-5 years of endless deliberation, going back-n-forth and deferring the launch every quarter. One must wonder why they even bothered!?

Prices have gone up considerably over the years. An Innova that could have been bought for 13 lakhs is now 27! And that's understandable to an extent. But this is simply unpalatable.

[cbatrody]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

Not convinced. If park bake release lever won't disengage the brake then why it is provided in first place? If car is standstill by relying only on the parking brake and gear is not set on park mode and someone releases the lever then won't it disengage the brakes?

In normal scenarios, the parking brake (foot lever) is engaged only after the gear is shifted into "P". This lever usually not used while driving or when the car is in neutral but used as an additional safety measure when you park the car.

"A parking brake which is also called an emergency brake or e-brake, is a mechanical hand lever (older cars) or a foot-operated brake that is actually a backup braking system. It is located either between the front two seats or to the left of your gas and brake pedal. A parking brake controls the rear brakes and is a completely separate device from your vehicle’s regular hydraulic brakes. Parking brakes are never given same connection with the hydraulic brakes because if the hydraulics system fails you can make use of the parking brakes to stop your car in case of an emergency"

Originally Posted by suhaas307

An Innova that could have been bought for 13 lakhs is now 27! And that's understandable to an extent. But this is simply unpalatable.

Its not only Innova but if you look at some of the other Toyota models, even they are insanely overpriced by multi-folds in India vs other countries:

• "Fortuner 3.0L 4x4" costs around 35 to 40 lakhs in India (as per carwale). However, you get it here in the UAE for 24-26 lakhs (130,000 to 140,000 AED)
• "Prado 4.0L VXL" in India priced at 1.1 crore to 1.20 crore (as per carwale). In UAE you get it for 35-38 lakhs (190,000 to 200,000 AED)
• "Land Cruiser 200 VX" is priced at 1.75 Crores (as per carwale) in India but in UAE you get it for 58 to 62 lakhs (320,000 to 330,000 AED)

[arunrajk81]

Originally Posted by srishiva

Can one import one for a cheaper price ? For me, its the second one after Mustang to have ludicrous pricing. Whatever the Americans are thinking now a days. Shouldn't take their warming relationship with India to such heights

Thought came in my mind for mustang, not for Jeep. From US market, LHD is the issue. I guess its possible if the car is less than 3 Year old and is RHD with a huge tax (I guess 110% or more ?). Also after going through some threads, felt its not an easy task.

[Divyendu Sharma]

Originally Posted by arunrajk81

Thought came in my mind for mustang, not for Jeep. From US market, LHD is the issue. I guess its possible if the car is less than 3 Year old and is RHD with a huge tax (I guess 110% or more ?). Also after going through some threads, felt its not an easy task.

Its not so difficult.There are companies like US world direct that have mastered the art of lhd to rhd conversion.Also almost all popular american cars are available in UK and Australia New Zealand market in rhd. Duty is approximately 180 percent that is for 30 lakhs car you pay almost 55 lakhs duty,Grand Cherokee is not priced correctly at all.Its does not enjoy toyota brand image in India that just like lc 200 which is is 40 lakhs car will sell at 1cr plus prices.

[shankar.balan]

It just might be that with all this testing of the Renegade, that their strategy is similar to Renaults when they entered with the Koleos.

Start with a so called Premium product (read high priced, hence generally poor VFM and extremely niche in appeal) and then introduce more palatable products at lower prices (which are still probably higher than what one may pay for the same vehicle abroad) but which prices, in comparison to the earlier insane levels, will seem much more digestible.

So with the Jeep Company Idiot Management having decided to do a self goal with this kind of pricing for the Wrangler and the Cherokee Brothers, they might just do a complete about turn after "half-time" so to say and launch their Renegade at about 20-25 lacs with a high level of indigenisation or localisation or whatever.

So, speculatively speaking, in case they actually bring in the Renegade Trail Rated Top Spec and offer it to us here in India at approx 20-25 maybe even 30 lacs, there will be some takers for it for sure. (Personally, I would sincerely hope that they replicate the CKD route of Skoda Yeti when it first came in - because Skoda were able to price it in India at an exact spec: price ratio equivalent level, to what it was priced at in the UK and Australia. That simple fact, was good enough for people such as myself, to seriously consider it and quickly buy it too.

If the above "wish" comes true for me, then I would certainly do the same with the Renegade - just to own a real Jeep as my only and primary vehicle.

[rajeev k]

What you won't:
People giving you confused looks when you say you bought a 'Jeep' for 1 crore

They will be further confused when they see the TUV 300 side by side.

[shibujp]

Great review!!

You guys harping about the price just don't get the brilliance of Jeep management do you? Jeep has seen Fiat's success in selling more engines than cars and has decided that it's gonna sell engines too. The Jeep Cherokee and Wranger are just dummies to prove that the engines run. Seems like Maruti, Tata and a few others are already discussing logistics. Hemi to be manufactured at Maruti's plant in Gujarat.

What a drag!!Is this what they rushed into India for? Going by this, what are they going to price the Renegade for? 50L?

Drive on,
Shibu.

[Turbanator]

And what an awkward position for that lever in the footwell, is that for parking brake release? Isn't that a flaw from safety point of view?

Not convinced. If park bake release lever won't disengage the brake then why it is provided in first place?

This is the standard position for parking brake in North American markets, it does appear to foul (especially when seen the first time) but works without any issues. After a while, it becomes kind of routine to engage, before you leave the car.

[SDP]

Originally Posted by rajeev k

They will be further confused when they see the TUV 300 side by side.
...

If you look at separate images on a computer (which would not be to scale), some amount of confusion between Cherokee and TUV is possible. Mahindras have actually shamelessly copied the Cherokee's front and have done a bad job while at it.

In reality, if you actually see the 2 vehicles side by side, the size difference is huge. Cherokee is much bigger than a TUV. The 20 inch wheels on the Cherokee would be massive and impossible to miss. Those definitely won't be confused with the ones on the TUV.

Cherokee has a nice eye-pleasing modern design, whereas TUV's boxiness is from a design language that is few decades old. I would stop here and won't insult the Cherokee by comparing it with the TUV any further.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by vinjosep

Excellent review!


Should I be now walking into a Fiat showroom for a demo? As per Jeep's website, that's not the case....

Attachment 1548648

I was covering the launch. More later
There is only one dealer in Ahmedabad. We were shown a preview of the showroom. I really feel for the guy considering the prices hence viability of the venture.

10 dealerships should open up in the next 6 months. Whether the dealers decide to cut and run is another matter

Originally Posted by arunphilip

The only explanation I have is that FCA want to position Jeep as a halo product, and bring in the Fiat CUV as the equivalent mass-market product. Similar design cues, some common branding, etc.

I spoke to some senior FCA folks There does not seem to be any plans for newer Fiat branded cars, more later.

All I can say is that after the press conference, we all proceeded to the airport. In Jodhpur's security hold area, the FCA managers had a very embarassing time, overhearing fellow hacks laughing at each others tweets about the pricing

More details to follow

[Superleggera]

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[m3_07]

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