Jeep to hit Indian roads end 2013: FIAT

Italy-based Fiat group, which has tied up with US-based car maker Jeep, will launch the first model under the brand in the country during the last quarter of 2013 as a "completely built unit", a top official said on Friday.

"We will be ready in launching Jeep brand during the last quarter of this calender year.. We are aggressively working on it...,"  Fiat Group Automobiles India, president and managing director, Nagesh Basavanhalli, told reporters .

The proposed launch of Jeep was part of its - three-pronged strategy  -- focusing on products, network and brand. "We have been focusing on our three-pronged strategy. We are very proud of our products today.. The Linea has the best in class petrol engine.As part of our strategy, we will bring the Jeep at appropriate time..", he said inaugurating the company's second exclusive outlet -- Ramkay FIAT.

Noting that the group had been expanding its presence globally, he said, they have planned to have 100 dealerships by the end of this financial year.
"Today we are having about 63 active dealerships. We will get there (100 dealerships) before this year end," he said.

About the products lined up for Indian market during the next three years, he said the company had planned to launch four refreshed models under FIAT brand while four products under the Jeep and the Abarth model.

Under the Jeep brand there would be products across all the segments (compact SUV, premium SUV) he said and added that the products would be launched by 2016. The company, would initially import the Jeep models as 'completely built units' from North America and later look at increasing the localisation.

Fiat Group India has a manufacturing facility near Pune with a capacity of producing 1.60 lakh units and three lakh engines.