Fiat India has been mulling over bringing the Jeep brand to India for over three years now. The company, however, has been clear about the product line-up that'll be introduced here. It will comprise of the hardcore off-roader Wrangler Unlimited and the uptown Grand Cherokee. The latter will also be made available in a smoking hot SRT version apart from the standard diesel variant. So here are five little nuggets of information about the Cherokee:
It’s a Merc underneath
This may come as a surprise, but the Grand Cherokee is underpinned by the platform that underpins the 2012 Mercedes ML-class, the car better known now as the GLE-class. This unibody platform, however, has been tailor-made for the Grand Cherokee and Jeep claims its structure is 146 percent more rigid than the previous-generation Grand Cherokee.
Powerful motors, impressive hardware
The 3.0-litre V6 diesel motor used in the Grand Cherokee is developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies and Italian engine manufacturer VM Motori. This engine makes 243hp of maximum power and 570Nm of torque. It’s one of the smoothest diesels around and it's barely audible in the cabin. But, if you like your SUV to bring with it some drama, then the SRT version will fit the bill. After all, it houses a massive 6.4-litre Hemi engine which churns out 475.8hp and 630Nm which can catapult this two-tonne monster from 0-100kph in just five seconds.
Genuine off-road ability
Unlike most other luxury SUV makers, Jeep hasn’t gone soft with the Grand Cherokee. There’s a low-range transfer case and this car can genuinely surprise you with its off-road ability. Apart from the low-range box, there are five driving modes to choose from – Mud, Rock, Sand, Snow and Auto. Each of these modes will get the electronics to work hard providing optimum traction and engine response based on the situation.
One crore rupee question
With the cars being CBUs imported from USA plant expect prices to be on the higher side. The Grand Cherokee is likely to be priced in the region of Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore, and that’s quite a big ask. This also means that the SRT version could be priced around Rs 1.5 crore, which seems better considering the BMW X5 M costs Rs 1.62 crore before taxes in New Delhi. But, given the limited sales and service outlets of Jeep in India and the relative brand ignorance, it may prove tough for the brand to attract buyers to the showroom.
Update on its way
The Grand Cherokee will be updated again sometime this year. The changes are more likely to be cosmetic with a few additions to the equipment list. Being CBUs we are surely to get these examples eventually, but for now it will be the current versions that will be sold in India.