Update 14th February: Barely after the first spotting, Jeep’s smallest SUV Renegade has been spotted testing again with pics posted at Terrain Tigers Facebook group. These pics are clearer and provide a good view of the exterior silhouette. Jeep has confirmed (and unveiled) the Wrangler Unlimited and two variants of Grand Cherokee for India and has said nothing about the Renegade yet.
However, looking at the camouflage we have this strong feeling that there is something that Jeep wants to hide from us – either that they are testing the SUV for our market or its platform which may spawn other India-specific models.
A 10-15 Lakh SUV from Jeep is expected to be more potent than the current best-seller Creta and considering the fact that Jeep brand name is associated with SUVs, we see a lot of flutter in the segment. May it teach Hyundai the real (and justified) price of Creta!
1st Feb Original Article: Jeep’s smallest member, the Renegade has been spotted in India for the first time days ahead of the company’s official entry into the Indian market. While the compact SUV seems ideal for our market as it will provide a lower entry point into the brand there have been far too many contradictory reports so far and multiple delays from Jeep/Fiat itself.
However, this recent sighting gives a ray of hope that the SUV may finally be brought to India at some later date. FCA initially plans to introduce the Grand Cherokee, it’s SRT version and Wrangler Unlimited at the Auto Expo, which will be followed by a C-segment SUV within this year.
Speculations also point at a sub-Renegade model which will reportedly be manufactured in India at Ranjangaon (details here). This Fiat-Tata facility is currently being upgraded with an investment of 280 US dollars.
This test unit spotted by a MotorOctane reader is completely camouflaged which further raises suspicion and a hope that Jeep is testing it for our market. They may localize the Renegade and offer it at compelling prices to create a traction in the market. A few months back, a prominent auto portal reported Renegade’s entry into India and the price point they claimed was a surprise – 10 lakhs!
Also Read: Jeep to Produce Fortuner-rivaling SUV from India!
A Jeep at 10-14 lakhs will definitely create a turmoil in the segment which is currently dominated by Duster and the overtly overpriced Creta! Apart from this Jeep also plans to introduce a mild hybrid variant of the Wrangler by 2017.
Not bad
Yes .. on 31st of January I have seen the model in Pune but I thought it was belongign to some other company but its renegade… nide car by the way with quality and brand name.
Finally, the major car brands included India to the list of markets. That can also lead to spare parts market growth. Great news and the jeep itself is cool looking too.