SUV Maker Jeep to Relaunch in India
Jeep, the iconic American brand, is relaunching its presence in India amid declining sales, high ownership costs, and increased competition in the premium SUV market. The seven-year-old Indian brand, which sells the premium and super premium Compass, Meridian, Grand Cherokee, and Wrangler models, is also considering introducing the 4Xe, Jeep's electrified brand, to India.
The carmaker has launched a consumer scheme aimed at lowering the initial purchase ownership cost under the leadership of Aditya Jairaj, who took over as Stellantis Group's deputy managing director in India and head-Jeep brand operations in May. As part of improving the price-to-value ratio, it has discontinued the entry level variants of the Meridian—its three row SUV to re-align it with the market demand for higher trim variants.
Furthermore, it intends to increase brand and marketing spending in the world's fifth largest auto market in order to regain the position it held two years ago. Nissan Motor's head of EV strategy and transformation is also laying the groundwork for the introduction of electrified vehicles.
Jeep's cumulative sales in India fell by 30% in the first half of the current calendar year, to 4,247 units, compared to the same period last year, as the company discontinued the petrol variant of the Compass ahead of the implementation of the BSVI, phase-II emission norms in April this year.