Made-in-India Jeep SPOTTED – EXCLUSIVE

Jeep will be making a new C-segment SUV by the end of 2016 and we have spotted it on test in Europe. Jeep will be making a new SUV that will be powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine that will come mated to a nine-speed ZF transmission. This is the same engine that we have been mentioning for a long time. Our sources have confirmed that Fiat has already started testing the engine in its Ranjangaon facility. 

The company has increased its manpower in the research and development team from 30 to about 700. The Italian automaker has increased its spends and its plant is also undergoing expansion. The Jeep C-segment SUV will be replacing Patriot and Compass globally and it will be made in India and a few other markets.

Fiat will be making this new 2.0-litre engine in the Ranjangaon plant and Tata will be utilising this same engine on the Q502 as well. The Q502 is likely to be the new-generation Safari and it will be offered with a six-speed manual than a five-speeder. Tata will be using the Harrier platform to build this SUV.

The Harrier platform is being developed with inputs from JLR and this is a monocoque and not ladder on frame. At the same time, a version of the Safari will be made with a nine-speed or a six-speed automatic as well. Jeep will be using the nine-speed majorly, while Tata might stick to a six-speed manual and automatic transmission.

Each of the brand is targeting to manufacture about 60,000 annual units, which will even include the export units. Tata Motors and Fiat are signing agreements for different engines. So far they have signed up for the 1.

2-litre and 1.4-litre petrol and the diesel is 1.3-litre. Now, the new engines will be the 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre diesels as well.