Stellantis India recently announced a new and much-needed product onslaught comprising seven Citroen and five Jeep models, all due within the next four years. While the conglomerate did not specify what these models would be, it did confirm there would be a premium pickup, which we understand would be the Jeep Gladiator.
The pickup would be one of the earlier arrivals, and the company is likely to bring it in as a CKD, just as it currently does with the Grand Cherokee and the Wrangler – with which the Gladiator shares its platform (JL).
Gladiator may mark Jeep India’s entry into the premium pickup segment
Currently the American pickup offers a single 3.6 litre V6 petrol and that could be the engine of choice for India too, and as is intrinsic to the brand, a 4×4 powertrain would also likely be offered. Alternatively, given that the Gladiator and Wrangler share a platform, Jeep India could consider utilizing the Wrangler’s 2.0-litre direct-injection four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine under the hood of the Gladiator in India.
In Jeep’s home market, the USA, the Gladiator and the four-door Wrangler are similarly priced, thus expect the Gladiator to be priced at around the Rs 70 lakh mark in India. This would be considerably higher than the Toyota Hilux. However, the Gladiator is larger than the Hilux; at over 5.5 meters in length, the Gladiator stretches the tape past the Hilux, which measures just over 5.3 meters.
The lifestyle pickup segment remains a niche market in India, although interest is gathering, with the new Toyota Hilux recently launched, the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross continuing to be sold here, and Mahindra announcing its Scorpio Lifestyler. Given the higher segment that the Gladiator would occupy however, expect modest sales numbers. Besides, the American auto giant also needs to upgrade its sales and service network, a process it says is already underway. The company says its Stellantis Brand House format would support its expansion into Tier 2 as well as Tier 3/4 markets, where it sees potential.