Filed under: SUVs, Plants/Manufacturing, Jeep, India
Jeeps could soon be built in India
No other brand is as patriotic as Jeep, boasting the WWII-era General Purpose military vehicle that helped win the war for the Allies. As it stands, current Jeeps are all U.S. made, with the Grand Cherokee and Commander hailing from the Detroit area, the Wrangler and Liberty being assembled in Toledo, Ohio and the Patriot and Compass coming from Illinois. That all seems set to change, though, as rumors swirl regarding India's Argentum Motors being tapped to build some of the SUVs abroad. Before everyone gets too upset, consider that Jeeps have been built in many other countries in the past, with even the classic Wrangler coming from Canada for a time. What this means for American jobs, though, we don't know. Colonel Bhagwati Prasad Suman from Argentum Motors suggests that any automaker building vehicles in India will save at least 15-percent in costs as compared to the United States. This being the case, we wouldn't be at all shocked if the rumors were true and if more such announcements were made in the future.
[Source: Carscoop]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Retroqqq 10:06AM (10/15/2008)
thats cheap
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klassikars 8:47AM (10/19/2008)
Jeep is already built in various countries all over the world. In Brazil, it is a Ford product! In Colombia, built by Willco. Whats new?? Can't say I blame them for wanting to find a plant where they can keep out the unions.
tracie 10:05PM (10/19/2008)
All these car companies and major corporations would be crazy not to leave our country. They are going to have to pay more taxes here in the U.S. when Obama becomes president. Why would they want to stay here.
Allan 10:09AM (10/15/2008)
I realize that Canada is actually a different country and all... but I think there's a big difference between things built in Canada and India.
Not many people seem to care that things are made in Canada or even Mexico (Hello.... Ford?). But going across the ocean to India (like many of the phone support systems) might stir up a bit more of a fuss...
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Avinash machado 10:10AM (10/15/2008)
I think that a version of the original Willys Jeep is still made in india by a company called Mahindra.
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EXP Jawa 11:23AM (10/15/2008)
Mahindra has built Jeeps under license since the early '50s, after getting their feet wet by assembling knock-down kits that they imported from Willys. They even purchased tooling from Jeep after they were done with it to continue production. There's nothing really new here...
P.V. 5:24PM (10/15/2008)
I was going to say the same thing.
Isn't it ironic that Mahindra is going to start selling here?
My uncle in Bangalore has a Mahindra Scorpio; it's very comfortable and very versatile (compared to the older SUVs still sold in India that look, feel, and operate like humvees/tanks).
TJ 10:11AM (10/15/2008)
This is a bad, bad, bad idea.
Disclaimer: my family has owned an 87XJ, 88MJ, 89MJ, 93YJ, 95YJ, 96ZJ, 01XJ, 02WJ, 05TJ, and two 07WK's.
People wanting to purchase a jeep are willing to pay a little extra for the heritage.
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john 7:43AM (10/19/2008)
My wife has owned 5 jeeps in the last 7 years and wouldn't drive any other vehicle. If they go to India and build them then they will never see us buy another one again. What are they thinking? Start marketing in their commercials that these cars are American made and keep the american economy strong and you will see people begin to stop buying imports the way they do. It is only common sense!
kevin 12:46PM (10/19/2008)
obviously... you all either like jeeps or work for them. I own a 97 wrangler that I bought used. It is still overpriced, and rides like a truck. If they brought back the old willys, they got better gas milage and even drove better.
Mehul Kamdar 10:13AM (10/15/2008)
The Indian Army is set to tender for new four wheel drive vehicles - it uses Nissan Patrols from the 1970s, the Czech Jonga and the Mahindra version of the original WW-2 Jeep albeit with a 1980s diesel engine. The number of vehicles that the army would be buying would be huge - India does have one of the world's largest armies. This is the reason why Tata bought Land Rover and this is almost certainly the reason why Jeep are planning to offer their products officially in India again.
I seriously doubt that more than a token quantity would be shipped to the USA if this takes off. There is a huge demand in India itself that needs to be filled and fast.
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stealthebeatles 2:54PM (10/15/2008)
None of those Indian made Jeeps better be sent to America. I drive a 98 XJ and I would never consider buying a foreign-built Jeep. It's just wrong.
neothespian 3:07PM (10/15/2008)
"None of those Indian made Jeeps better be sent to America. I drive a 98 XJ and I would never consider buying a foreign-built Jeep. It's just wrong....."
Coming from a guy who's using the image of an English rebellion leader (who is FOREIGN) as their avatar
Either you're a hypocrite or an idiot. With today's economy, it might be "build them in India" or get ready to scrounge the boneyards for parts for your Jeep, because they'll be out of the biz come next fiscal year
LeAnne Chism 3:16AM (10/20/2008)
I think you must be one of the PR spokesmen for the company, no?
LeAnne Chism 10:02AM (10/19/2008)
You are a spokesman for the Jeep company?
AngeloD 10:24AM (10/15/2008)
Now we can look forward to Jeeps with build quality right up there with Royal Enfield motorcycles, no thanks.
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MajorGeek 10:25AM (10/15/2008)
This is rumor only, so I will keep my mouth shut for now. It goes without saying how we all feel if this were to happen.
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carsteve 10:47AM (10/15/2008)
why
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Erik 10:57AM (10/15/2008)
Is it possible the Jeeps built in India would be for Indian and other foreign markets only? If this is the case, I don't see the big deal. If they are intending to sell Indian-made Jeeps in the US, I see that as a big problem.
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paul34 12:01PM (10/15/2008)
Mahindra already does that exact thing, under license.