In the recet past, Groupe PSA and FCA joined hands to form Stellantis. With 14 car brands, Stellantis is now the fourth-largest automotive manufacturing corporation in the World. Under the merger, recently debuted Citroen will be providing the underpinnings for the Jeep brand which according to sources will provide a platform for the upcoming compact SUV from Jeep. This will be the perfect opportunity for Jeep to bring a new vehicle in the popular segment.
Jeep’s Compact SUV
Currently, Jeep’s entry-level model is the Compass SUV which is priced between the INR 16.99-28.29 lakh ex-showroom mark. By entering the compact SUV segment Jeep will be able to compete better in the market. The brand could be planning to introduce the Jeep Renegade equivalent but developing a diesel motor specially for compact SUV is likely to be unviable in the Indian market making the vehicle’s cost higher than what the market expects. The brand is also likely to trim the Renegade down to the sub-4-metre length allowing the car benefit from taxes.
CMP Platform
The Euro-spec Renegade comes with a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine which could be brought to the Indian market however the new powertrain could be assembled locally to keep the costs low. Speculations are that the Jeep compact SUV will be underpinned by the CMP platform, but the platform does not support 4×4 driveline, and the compact SUV will have to sacrifice the feature.
Powertrain
Earlier it was speculated to feature the underpinnings of the Fiat Panda which comes with a 4×4 drivetrain an identity that reflects Jeep’s go-anywhere attitude. Citroen just introduced its flagship SUV the C5 Aircross which will be going on sale in the Indian market soon. The French manufacturer is also expected to introduce another small-sized car for the Indian market, targeting the affordable car market in the country. The small-sized car is also speculated to come with a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine which could be jointly developed by Citroen and Jeep under the new Stellantis umbrella.
