The Jeep Wrangler was always brought to India as a direct import. That meant it had to withstand excruciatingly high taxes even before landing in a showroom. That is set to change. Jeep India, which is now part of the Stellantis automobile group, has commenced local assembly of the rugged SUV in question. It is being put together at the company’s Ranjangaon facility, close to Pune. That points towards considerably lower duties, which should help bring the sticker price down.

How that pans out is something that’ll soon come to light. When? March 15, 2021. That’s when Jeep India will announce the prices and other details about the locally-assembled Wrangler. Intrigued? Well, you can book one right away. The company is accepting pre-launch bookings online and offline. Serving the latter channel are the 26 authorised dealerships across India.

As before, Jeep is offering the Wrangler in two variants – Unlimited and Rubicon. Both pack the same engine-transmission combination – a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol (268bhp/400Nm) mated to an 8-speed automatic. In Unlimited form, the Wrangler comes with the Selec-Trac full-time four-wheel-drive (4WD) system. However, those opting for the Rubicon derivative will get an even more hardcore full-time 4WD setup, which Jeep calls Rock-Trac. That ropes in locking front and rear differentials with electronic sway bar disconnect. The Wrangler Rubicon also packs a 240amp alternator, 700amp battery and performance suspension.

Some of the features on offer include full-framed removable doors, LED-powered auto headlamps, 60:40 split rear seat, an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and dual-zone automatic climate control. If all that is a bit poor for you, the list also includes a tyre pressure monitoring system, Hill-Start and Hill-Descent Assist, a rear-view camera, auto-dimming IRVM and push-button start.

The Jeep Wrangler is currently priced between Rs 63.94 lakh (Unlimited) and Rs 68.94 lakh (Rubicon). Expect both those figures to see noticeable drops. The Wrangler becomes only the second of the four models that Jeep India intends to produce locally. What are the remaining two? A seven-seat SUV and a subcompact SUV. It is safe to say that for Jeep lovers, at least, these are exciting times.