Mahindra can continue to produce and sell the Roxor to stateside consumers.
Mahindra Automotive North America has been cleared to continue producing and selling the Roxor after the Eastern District Court of Michigan denied Fiat Chrysler Automobiles's request to apply for the “safe distance rule” on the said model, Automotive News reported.
It was in 2018 when FCA (now part of Stellantis) sued the Indian carmaker for the design of the Roxor, claiming it looked a lot like the Jeep Wrangler. According to the company, the Roxor infringed on the “boxy body shape with flat-appearing vertical sides and rear body ending at about the same height as the hood.”
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While the Mahindra Roxor and Jeep Wrangler look distinguishable in size, the latter's timeless design cues, such as the round headlamps, boxy body, and silhouette, are evident on the Indian look-a-like. In Mahindra's defense, the company said the FCA only wants “a practical monopoly over the import and sale of components used in any boxy, open-topped, military-style vehicle.”
In June 2020, the International Trade Commission said the Roxor infringed the trade dress, consequently recommending prohibiting the import and sale of the mini off-roader. But later in the same year, the ITC cleared the Roxor following the design changes on the 2021 facelift.
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The Mahindra Roxor is understandably unfamiliar in North America as it isn't generally road-legal. Instead, the Roxor is aimed at customers like farmers. Hence it shouldn't have any problems with the market for the Wrangler. It can be a fun weekend off-roader with open- and closed-topped configurations. Under the hood is a 2.5-liter turbodiesel engine with 62 horsepower and 144 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via a five-speed manual as standard.
The Jeep Wrangler will likely continue featuring its military-styled concept for future iterations, which has been the go-to since its introduction. With the clearing of the Roxor, the Stellantis will have to deal with sharing US roads with its Wrangler's doppelganger.
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Keyword: Mahindra's Jeep Wrangler Doppelganger Cleared To Sell In America