[axe_deo]

Hyundai/Kia have moved on to the bigger 1.5 turbo with better power and torque after the 1.4 turbo got discontinued. JEEP being a premium brand and charging at least 10Lakh premium for it's brand, should offer a bigger/more powerful engine as a substitute to its discontinued 1.4 turbo petrol.

[Mustang111]

If Jeep launches the Compass with 1.3 l turbo petrol engine, it could be the final nail in the coffin. The Compass sales figures have deteriorated over the years. That's true for Jeep as a brand overall too. Jeep is not a volume seller, but if they make such moves that totally undermine the customers in India; then it's only a matter of time before they pack up. A 2l turbo petrol in the US market and a 1.3 turbo petrol for the same Compass here. Just won't work. The 2 l turbo petrol Compass if launched here will go a long way in reviving it's presence in the already miniscule niche market it operates in.

[kronos596]

Originally Posted by TusharK

It comes in two states of tune: the 128 BHP version is mated to a 6-speed manual, while the 148 BHP version gets a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The above-mentioned figures are for the Euro-spec Compass. The same 1.3 Turbo unit makes 185 Bhp 270 Nm in the Brazilian and Latin America spec Compass and Meridian (nee Commander).

Originally Posted by vinodvaddi

Ideally, they should consider the plug in hybrid 4xe, but as with every other manufacturer, we won't get their best offerings.

True, but then the 4xe pricing will enter the X1 territory. I doubt it will find many takers.

Originally Posted by jsl

I don’t think they will bring the 2L turbo petrol in the Compass and Meridian because then how will they justify the same engine in the Cherokee and Wrangler which is almost twice the price of Meridian. Even if they will detune the engine it will drive up the price of the already expensive compass and meridian.

The 2L Turbo in Compass (200 Bhp, 229 Nm) is already a detuned unit from Wrangler, Grand Cherokee (268 Bhp, 400 Nm).


While the reintroduction of Petrol engines is a welcome step by Jeep, I'm largely curious about the economics of scale at play here. Post 2020, India lost export volumes for the UK to Melfi plant in Italy as Europe moved largely to 4xe and mild-hybrid models. The exports by Jeep India to RHD markets now largely center around Australia, New Zealand, and Japan where the 2.4 TigerShark engine is used. Other destinations are Indonesia, South Africa, and possibly some Caribbean RHD countries still use the 1.4 MultiAir engine. Unless these countries also move to 1.3 Turbo, this engine will remain a costly proposition in an already overpriced car.

[JohnDoe]

Jeep is like Titanic, its 5 compartments have been breached, its just a matter of time before it goes under, nothing can save it now.🤣
I personally feel they should cut their losses short and just exit.
I really don't understand what the "Harvard passout" top brass of Jeep is doing, even a common person who is vaguely interested in cars can see Jeep's blunders.

[kronos596]

Originally Posted by kronos596

The 2L Turbo in Compass (200 Bhp, 229 Nm)

Correction. This should be (200 Bhp, 300 Nm). Mods, apologies for the error. Requesting you to update the correct figures.

[ergon_9700]

I have a simple question. Why not use the one in Grand Cherokee? It is a 2L turbo 4 cylinder with good 200 hp and 400Nm I think (which is more than the output from Diesel). They are already locally assembling this engine. Why not make it available in more cars like Meridian and Compass as well especially the Meridian which never had petrol in first place?

[QuentinTino]

A made in India and made for India Jeep Grand Cherokee is the only direct rival that the Fortuner can have!

Its high time Jeep buckle up for this “Endeavour”.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by TusharK

… before being introduced in the market around 2025.
…

Well, this is not looking good for Jeep in India. Pinning their hopes on this engine, which is at-least 2 years away, is quite worrying. 2 years is a long time, and people may not even have the Compass in their shortlist by that time.

Can the company and their dealers/workshops really survive selling just 200-300 units a month?

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by ergon_9700

I have a simple question. Why not use the one in Grand Cherokee? It is a 2L turbo 4 cylinder with good 200 hp and 400Nm I think (which is more than the output from Diesel). They are already locally assembling this engine. Why not make it available in more cars like Meridian and Compass as well especially the Meridian which never had petrol in first place?

Ideally, they should. It is an ideal fit for Compass and Meridian, and will give them the muscle to compete with Kodiaq and Fortuner. Lack of a relevant petrol is a huge handicap in the Delhi NCR car market nowadays.

Then again, that 2.0 really has no business inside the Grand Cherokee. But cars like Velar, GLC, X3 etc all make do with similar 2.0 turbo petrols in India.

Originally Posted by QuentinTino

A MADE IN INDIA AND MADE FOR INDIA JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE IS THE ONLY DIRECT RIVAL FORTUNER CAN HAVE!
It’s high time JEEP Buckle Up for this “Endeavour”

That’s an idea. In an ideal world, an independent and motivated company could have considered something like that. Don’t think it is possible for a global conglomerate like Stellantis, where branding and positioning evidently trumps common sense.

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Well, this is not looking good for Jeep in India. Pinning their hopes on this engine, which is at-least 2 years away, is quite worrying. 2 years is a long time, and people may not even have the Compass in their shortlist by that time.

Can the company and their dealers/workshops really survive selling just 200-300 units a month?

The bigger cause of worry is that 2 years later is 2025. Compass was launched in 2017, it will be an EIGHT year old car then. How relevant will such a product be then?

I am not worried about their dealerships. They have a monopoly business, and charge Mercedes money for spares and services (perhaps more). Their centers are always full, and frankly, Compass is about as ubiquitous as a Honda City here in Delhi NCR. Landmark group had a very successful IPO as well.

[84.monsoon]

Jeep should sign a deal with Mahindra to buy mStallion engines for the Compass and Meridian. The tables have turned and Mahindra have better engines than many western manufacturers now.

Although I said that in a lighter vein, I do expect the trend - the weakening ability of global players to build brand new ICE engines (vis-a-vis the Indian Auto companies like M&M and TATA) to get even more prominent:

• The R&D budgets of global players get are getting increasingly diverted to EV and Plug-in Hybrid technologies
• ICE engines have a longer life span in India, so our local manufacturers are more likely to invest in this space
• A lot of R&D in the Automotive sector is being done in for the last several years in the India-based GCCs of the global auto majors, ensuring there is a lot of talent supply in India for developing new engines and transmission technologies.
• There are almost no global automotive companies that are investing in building ICE diesel engines or diesel hybrid technologies. India is still a very heavily diesel market, especially in the larger MPV and SUV segments. We could become the leader in large diesel tech, which will be used in the Commercial sector for a long time to come.

[sid3091]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

I’ll take this report with a bucketload of salt. Even Jeep knows that an everyone found the old 1.4 turbo petrol to be underpowered. Replacing it with an even smaller engine is plain stupid. It is more likely that they are working on getting the new 2.0 turbo petrol here. That is a good fit for the Compass as well as Meridian.

As the owner of a 1.4 Jeep Compass, it's anything but underpowered. The gearbox is dimwitted sometimes but even that has improved massively over a year of usage. You want underpowered? Look at the Tucson petrol.

[RaghuVis]

One of my friends who is working in the Fiat/Jeep factory mentioned that there is huge work going on to have a BEV version of the compass. Apparently, many engineers from Renault are working on this with Fiat. I did not get the connection between these two companies here.

[desdemona]

This seems like absurd gossip.

Jeep has access to a locally manufactured turbo petrol (the 1.4 Tjet was imported, unlike the 2.0 mjd2): Citroen's. As a hybrid, that is, badged say 4xE. That is the configuration being rolled out currently in Europe on the new (also in pure bev avatars) Peugeots, Fiats, Citroens launching ongoingly...and on the Jeep Avenger.

An all new bev-capable Jeep Compass and Jeep Renegade too will arrive globally (Brazil and Latam is the central market for these models) in 2025+. No doubt also with the psa 1.2turbo in hybrid avatar.

JEEP may import the 1.3 Firefly, but only for exports to Japan, Australia, etc. I'd imagine they will stay diesel-only with the Compass and Meridian through to all-new global Compass andor Renegade in 2025 or 2026.

What they are presumably currently prepping for is the Citroen c3 aircross related Jeep Avenger, as bev and also with the chennai-made-at-scale PSA 1.2turbo. Andor the next generation Renegade, also closely related to citroen 'c3 cubed' programme and platform Or at least so one hopes.

Meanwhile Stellantis, especially JEEP, remains profitable in India, an accomplishment for a non Maruti/Hyundai/Mahindra auto company.

What concerns me, though, is NOT Jeep at all: the economics of the stellantis business model is solid and sustainable. Including for their dealers, especially Delhi NCR and Mumbai monopoly ones: Landmark group. They can afford to follow whatever global cadence they care to, while relying in India on the stellar 2.0 diesel through say 2025/26. Assuming the citroen based localized Jeep Avenger will be launched before then.

It is that they are not looking at reintroducing FIAT, with say the new FIAT 600, 2024 Panda and 2025 Multipla suv....all models closely related for economy of scale reasons to the very same Citroen e/c3/aircross (with 1.2turbopetrol, too) architecture that has been developed inexpensively and 90+% localized in India. The JEEP dealer network is available AND viable. Economies of scale for JEEP, Citroen and...FIAT in both manufacture AND distribution, with export volumes too.

Alas am afraid they're likelier to increase backend sharing with Tata Motors than to reintroduce FIAT.

But at a minimum the Citroen-sibling Jeep Avenger? Before 2025? It would be a travesty if they don't, and wait till matters are too late: 2025/26 for the next generation global Compass.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by desdemona

This seems like absurd gossip.

*Snip*

Meanwhile Stellantis, especially JEEP, remains profitable in India, an accomplishment for a non Maruti/Hyundai/Mahindra auto company.

Let's say there is about 100 Jeep dealers in India, will these numbers sustain their business? So every other month that number of outlets will reduce , finally there will be say 40 dealers in major cities of India while a premium brand like Mercedes has probably 100.

Absurd is not the gossip but the thought that this Jeep brand is profitable in India at this point.

[desdemona]

As a nano share market investor in both Stellantis (globally) and Jeep dealer Landmark, I can assure you that Jeep and Stellantis India are profitable and have been for years.

Not so most other firms (and dealers) in India outside the oligopoly of Maruti (now with Toyota), Hyundai-Kia, Mahindra, and only of very late, Tata Motors.

It is a great mistake that many on Team-BHP make to assume sales numbers correspond to sustainable profitability for brands, firms and dealers. It also depends instead, on margins, frugality of cost structure, discipline in capital allocation, having JVs like Toyota with Kirloskar, FCA with Tata Motors, Citroen with Birla etc. That is how non-Maruti / Hyundai / Mahindra firms cope with the impossibly tough financial risk in India given that it is by far the most oligopolistic / concentrated market in the world.

Jeep and its dealers can well afford its ongoing high margins, and low volume model for a while yet, provided a small mass-market Citroen or Tata-based model comes by end-2024. If they wait for the global new generation, electrified Compass in 2026, then yes, fears for the Jeep brand will be justified. Dipping sales of high-margin vehicles like the Compass, Meridian and Wrangler, Grand Cherokee do not mean the imminent collapse of the firm. Unlike say Ford, VW Skoda, GM, Honda and Nissan, Stellantis remains profitable in India, if only via diesel engine sales, exports of engines and transmissions and sales of the Tata Nexon (including EV) which is made at high sales volumes alongside the Jeeps in Ranjangaon.