Mahindra Roxor

The Mahindra Roxor is a 4x4 off-road only utility vehicle assembled by Mahindra Automotive North America (MANA) since 2018. MANA is the US arm of Indian automotive company Mahindra and Mahindra. It is based on the Mahindra Thar M2DICR variant, produced and sold in the Indian market since 2010. Mahindra has made off-road vehicles in jeep(GP)[3] pattern since a 1947 contract with Willys to build such vehicles for Indian market.[4][5]

Mahindra Roxor
Overview
TypeUTV 2-seater/4-seater
ManufacturerMahindra Automotive North America (MANA)[1]
Model years2018–present
AssemblyAuburn Hills, Michigan, US
Body and chassis
ClassSide-by-side
Body styleCompact UV
LayoutFront engine, part-time four-wheel-drive
RelatedMahindra Thar
Powertrain
Engine2.5 L (0.55 imp gal; 0.66 US gal) M2DICR turbo (diesel) (Mahindra engine)
Power output62 hp (46 kW) @ 3,200 rpm, 144 lbf (640 N) @ 1,400 rpm
Transmission5-speed manual, 2-speed low ratio manual, transfer case GM6L50 6 speed automatic[2]
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,438 mm (96.0 in)
Length3,759 mm (148.0 in)
Width1,574 mm (62.0 in)
Height1,905 mm (75.0 in)
Curb weight1,376 kg (3,034 lb)

The Roxor was announced in November 2017 and began sales on March 2, 2018.[6][7] In the United States it is an off-highway side-by-side (SxS). The Roxor is assembled at Mahindra's 150,000 sq ft (14,000 m2) factory that opened in March 2018 in Auburn Hills, outside Detroit, Michigan.[8] Mahindra is the first new automaker to open a manufacturing operation in the Detroit area in almost 30 years. Roxors are assembled at the US Mahindra facility with about 50% local content, by value. They are sold through powersports dealers across US and Canada.[9]

In June of 2020, the United States International Trade Commission ruled that the Roxor infringed upon Jeep's trade dress. This decision was accompanied by a limited exclusion order and a cease-and-desist order, effectively barring the import and sale of the Roxor in the US.[10][11] Mahindra is redesigning the Roxor to further visually distinguish it from Jeep's vehicles.[12]

Design

The Roxor is based on the design of the Jeep CJ of the 1960s, and Willys CJ of the 1940s. Mahindra was granted a license in 1947 to use the Jeep and CJ trademarks, and Willys originally shipped complete vehicle kits directly to Mahindra. Over time, the vehicles were localized in India. The body design and a significant portion of its mechanical architecture remain largely untouched. In the US off-road UTV market, it has a roll-over protection system (ROPS), which creates the upper body structure and is attached directly to the fully boxed frame.[13] It has a single gauge speedometer on all variants, with digital fuel, odometer, and tachometer gauges.[14]

The Roxor is available in two- and four-passenger versions, and with either a manual or automatic transmission. It has 16-in steel or aluminum wheels, with options for Goodyear 235/70R16 Wrangler Trailrunner AT, BFGoodrich 235/70R16 All-Terrain T/A KO2, or EFX 30×9.5-16 tires.[15]

Powertrain

The Roxor is powered by the Mahindra M2DICR 2.5 L (150 cu in) direct-injected turbodiesel engine that Mahindra claims produces 63 bhp (47 kW) @ 3,200 and 144 lb⋅ft (195 N⋅m) torque at 1,400 rpm.[16] The 18.6:1 compression ratio turbodiesel engine powered the Thar M2DICR and several other utility Mahindra vehicles excluding tractors. Starting 2019 model year Roxor, it is electronically limited to 55 mph (89 km/h) , and 45 mph (72 km/h) in the 2018 model to ensure safe off-highway use. Mahindra says the Roxor's 12-US-gallon (45 l; 10.0 imp gal) fuel tank allows a range of 350 miles (560 km) and consumes 35 miles per US gallon (6.7 L/100 km; 42 mpg‑imp).[17]

Drivetrain

The NGT520 transmission was designed to military specifications. It has a cast-iron housing with a direct-mounted shift system. All of the forward gears are engaged with single-cone brass synchronizers. The simple gear lubrication system is efficient enough under driving conditions to allow limited flat towing of the vehicle over the road. The gears are helical involute. The dual-offset cast-iron transfer case is also based on early military specified driveline requirements. The 2.46:1 low range allows low crawl speeds over uneven terrain and steep grades. The leaf-sprung straight axles are of a legacy design close to Dana 44 with 3.73:1 final drive ratio. Since mid-2018, a 6L50 automatic transmission sourced from Punch Powerglide in Strasbourg, France, is offered as an option on the Mahindra Roxor.

Trademark dispute

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, owner of the Jeep brand, filed a complaint in August 2018 with the U.S. International Trade Commission to halt sales in the US, saying the design infringed on FCA's copyrights.[18] Mahindra and its Mahindra Automotive North America division filed a public interest statement with the trade commission on August 22, 2018, asserting that the recent complaint filed by FCA U.S. is without merit, and has begun proceedings in a Michigan court to enforce a design agreement that it claims to have executed with Fiat in 2009.[18]

In late 2019, Judge Cameron Elliot ruled in favor of FCA, stating that the International Trade Commission should issue a limited exclusion order (to prevent Mahindra from importing Roxor vehicles or parts) and a cease-and-desist order (to block Mahindra from selling vehicles already in the US).[19] On June 11, 2020, the U. S. International Trade Commission affirmed the decision. The ITC did not find that the Roxor's grill infringes upon Jeep's trademarked 7-slot grill. Rather, the vehicle overall infringes upon Jeep's trade dress used formerly in their CJ series vehicles, and currently on their Wrangler series vehicles. In particular, the Roxor has "a boxy body shape with flat vertical sides, rear body panels that are roughly the same height as the hood, the door cut-outs that go above the bottom of the side, exterior hood latches, a mostly flat and rounded-edge hood tapering toward the front... and the trapezoidal flared fenders that extend past the grille."[20]

While Mahindra has often highlighted the differences between the Roxor and the Jeep, the ITC ruling has caused them to embark on a redesign of the vehicle.[21] Acknowledging the Roxor's similarities to Jeep vehicles, Rick Haas, Mahindra Automotive North America CEO and President, stated that the Roxor is "actually a CJ," and that "everyone understands that our vehicle is a CJ."[22]

References
  1. "Mahindra Automotive North America". www.mahindraautomotivena.com. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
  2. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a28675796/mahindra-roxor-4x4-drive/
  3. Morr, Tom; Brubaker, Ken (2007). The Joy of Jeep. MBI Publishing. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-7603-3061-6. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
  4. "History". Roxor Offroad. Mahindra Automotive North America.
  5. Broda, Natalie (March 2, 2018), "Mahindra Roxor first vehicle off region's newest automotive plant", The Oakland Press
  6. Connor, William (March 2, 2018). "Here it is! The Mahindra Roxor". 4WAAM.
  7. "Mahindra Constructs a Dealer Network for its New Roxor Side-by-Side". March 1, 2018.
  8. Broda, Natalie. "Mahindra Roxor first vehicle off region's newest automotive plant". The Oakland Press.
  9. Dorr, Bryon (March 21, 2018). "Willys Reborn: Off-Road-Only 4x4 Reinvents The Classic". GearJunkie.
  13. "Mahindra Automotive debuts first North American off-highway vehicle". www.sae.org.
  14. Schrader, Stef. "The Mahindra Roxor Is A Reincarnated Willys Jeep And You Absolutely Need One". Jalopnik.
  15. Nelson, Jim (November 14, 2018), "Detroit built Mahindra Roxor challenging the market", InWheeltime.com
  16. McMahon, Dave (March 2, 2018), Mahindra launches all-new Roxor turbo diesel ORV with $15,499 MSRP (video)
  17. Dorr, Bryon (March 23, 2018). "Mahindra ROXOR Review - First Drive; A new, old Jeep from India built in Michigan". OffRoad.com.
  18. Lorio, Joe (August 29, 2018), "FCA Seeks to Stop Jeep-Like Mahindra Roxor 4x4 in the U.S.; The Indian manufacturer;s vehicle copies Jeep's design, Chrysler claims", Car and Driver
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