The Mahindra Roxor was launched in the US and Canada in 2018. Its design was updated after FCA objected, alleging that it was a copy of the Willys Jeep.

A US court has allowed Mahindra & Mahindra to keep producing and selling the post-2020 version of the Roxor off-roader in the US market.

According to the company, the Easter District Court of Michigan issued an order on a renewed motion filed by Fiat Chrysler Automobile (FCA) to ban the post-2020 Roxor. The court declined to apply the safe distance rule to this case.

Following the ruling, Mahindra & Mahindra issued a statement saying, "With this ruling, Mahindra Automotive North America, a subsidiary of the company, continues to have no restraints on its ability to produce, sell and distribute the post-2020 Roxor in the US."

In 2018, Mahindra launched the Roxor in the US and Canadian markets. A complaint was soon filed by FCA alleging that it was a copy of the Willys Jeep. Ruling in favour of the company, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) ordered Mahindra to rework the design. The updated version of the off-roader was unveiled in 2020.

Source: ET Auto

Like many other patent filings, it remains to be seen if the new turbocharging assembly actually makes it into production.

According to media reports, FCA has filed for a patent with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) which showcases the turbocharger and the cylinder head combined into a single piece.

FCA's idea is that with the turbocharger cast as part of the cylinder head, the company would save on the material used to make components such as the manifold, bolts, studs and gaskets. Also, combining the turbocharger and the cylinder head would also make the entire assembly more simple as it could effectively delete the exhaust manifold and the additional oil lines.

Reports state that the design integrates the cylinder head with both the compressor and turbine housing of the turbo, while a cartridge would add the wheels and shaft at a later stage. The patent design includes an internal oil channel for the turbo and a single heat shield for the entire turbocharger and wastegate assembly. An Oldham coupling would control the wastegate operation, which will be complemented by a wear washer to improve its longevity.

While the exact details of the turbocharger-cylinder head combination are scarce, doing away with many of the gaskets and seals could potentially improve the part's life.

Having said that, like many other patent filings, it remains to be seen if the new turbocharging assembly actually makes it into production.

Source: CarBuzz

FCA claims that the new Thar infringes the Jeep Wrangler's design.

Last week we had reported that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) had filed a litigation in the Federal Court of Australia to block Mahindra from launching the Thar in the Australian market.

Mahindra had made it clear in its reply to the court that it had no plans to launch the current model of the Thar in the country. The company had also agreed to provide adequate notice to FCA if they had plans to do so.

Mahindra has now released an official statement regarding the issue.

Official statement:

We’re seeing very strong demand for the all-new Thar 2020 in India, therefore have no immediate plans for launch of the current variant of the Thar in markets outside India. As a result, it was pointless to engage in a litigation at this stage. When we decide to launch any new variant of the Thar in Australia, we will provide 90 days’ notice to FCA and take all steps to protect our rights to market and sell the product. This has no bearing on our future plans in Australia as we continue to pursue expansion of our business across a number of vehicle categories.

Stellantis is the fourth-largest automobile group in the world. It has industrial operations in over 30 countries across the world and the capability to cater to over 130 markets.

The merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA has been completed. Stellantis - the new entity formed by this merger, has its headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The company has 11 members on its board of directors with John Elkann as chairman and Carlos Tavares as CEO. It has formed 9 governance committees to take care of operations including company-wide performance and strategy, planning, regions, manufacturing, brand and styling.

Stellantis is the fourth-largest automobile group in the world. It has industrial operations in over 30 countries across the world and the capability to cater to over 130 markets. The company already has presence in Europe, North America and South America and is looking to expand its reach in China, India, Africa, the Middle East and Oceania.

The new company is offering vehicles in almost all segments of the market under different brands including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram and Vauxhall. It has 29 electrified models in its line-up at present and plans to add 10 more.

Source: ET Auto

An earlier judgement had forced Mahindra to redesign the Roxor. The new model gets a revised front fascia which no longer resembles the CJ.

A U.S. regulator has ruled that the new design of the Mahindra Roxor does not infringe the intellectual property rights of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' (FCA) Jeep brand. This will enable Mahindra to manufacture and sell the redesigned 2021 Roxor in the US.

Earlier this year, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) had passed a judgement in favour of FCA after the latter had objected to the design of the Roxor as it was almost identical to the Jeep.

This judgement had forced Mahindra to redesign the Roxor. The new model gets a revised front fascia which no longer resembles the CJ.

Following the recent ruling, FCA has stated that, while it is disappointed with the commission's decision, the company believes it will be successful in appealing it.

Once Sonet exports start in full swing, Kia could become the 3rd largest exporter after Hyundai and Maruti.

Of all the carmakers in India that export vehicles, only Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Kia have reported increase in numbers.

FCA exports the Jeep Compass to other RHD markets across the world. Exports stood at 3,086 units over the April-October period in 2020 compared to 1,964 units for the same period in 2019.

Meanwhile, Kia's export numbers grew from 2,321 during April-October 2019 to 29,819 units during April-October 2020. Of these 20,293 units were of the Seltos alone. The Kia Sonet is also expected to be exported from the Anantapur factory to other markets.

These numbers make Kia the 6th largest exporter among carmakers in India. Once Sonet exports start in full swing, Kia could become the 3rd largest exporter after Hyundai and Maruti.

Source

According to a media report, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is setting up a 2,000-capacity IT centre in Hyderabad. The FCA facility will be located at the Salarpuria Knowledge City at Raidurg - Hyderabad's IT hub.  

This new facility will augment the existing Engineering teams in Pune and Chennai. The new IT centre will act as a technology backbone for FCA's digitisation efforts.

FCA is not the only carmaker to have such facilities, apart from manufacturing, in India. Mercedes-Benz has the largest R&D centre outside Germany in Bengaluru. Groupe PSA too has a technical centre while Hyundai has an R&D centre in Hyderabad. Honda two-wheelers has a research centre in Manesar. Even component makers like Bosch, ZF, Continental and Visteon have tech centres in India.

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The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) has upheld a judge's finding that Mahindra's off-road vehicle, the Roxor, is a copy of the Jeep.

According to the description by Fiat Chrysler, the Roxor is a near identical copy of the Jeep with its "boxy shape with flat sides and rear body ending about the same height as the hood". In November 2019, the judge ruled that while Roxor would infringe on the trade dress of the Jeep as defined by six specific design elements, it would not on the registered trademarks of the Jeep's front grille. He recommended blocking imports of Mahindra Roxor and components.

The 2020 model of the Roxor was claimed by Mahindra to get reworked design changes which would be in cooperation with the ITC. Mahindra claims that its new models are not in violation.

The Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) plant in Italy has been shut down due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is likely to affect MG's production in India as the carmaker sources its diesel engines from FCA.

The FCA-sourced 2.0-litre diesel engine that powers the MG Hector uses a lot of components that are imported from Turin, Italy.

It has been reported that besides the powertrain, other components from Europe are assembled in China and then shipped to India. The lockdown in Pune is also expected to affect production as most of the carmaker's suppliers are present in the Chakan-Ranjangaon belt.

According to Rajeev Chaba, President and MD, MG Motor India, the company has enough inventory of diesel engines to last till the end of June 2020. However, if the lockdown in Europe continues, diesel powertrains will be in short supply and the carmaker will have to aggressively push its petrol versions.

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According to a media report, Administrative Law Judge Cameron Elliot has found that the Mahindra Roxor infringes on the iconic features of Jeep. The judge has determined that Mahindra violated 19 U.S.C. Section 1337 and recommended a cease-and-desist order to prevent Mahindra from selling the Roxor.

FCA could now ask the United States International Trade Commission to confirm the judge's conclusions and a cease-and-desist order could be issued by March 13th, 2020.

FCA has accused Mahindra of using 6 features, known as trade dress, that are distinctively Jeep. These include exterior hood latches, door cutouts, rear body panels, and a boxy body shape.

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