The Jeep Product line of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has become their main stay and is one of the reasons for the growth of the sales of the company. Early this month, the company reported its highest ever sales for Jeep brand vehicles in July, up 16%, to power the company's overall 5.9% jump from a year ago. A picture of the Jeep Wrangler is depicted below. The front of the Jeep Wrangler has its characteristic boxy body shape and '7 slat grille' which displays 7 vertical slats with two round headlamps on either side.

JEEP WRANGLER

Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., an Indian based company, started selling the 'Mahindra ROXOR' in the US market at a significantly lower cost than the Jeep Wrangler. As shown in the picture below, the Mahindra ROXOR has a 4 and half slat grille with headlamps on either side of the grille.

MAHINDRA ROXOR

Before manufacturing the ROXOR with the grille, Mahindra had entered into a license agreement in 2009 to use the grille on the vehicle to be sold in the US market. Mahindra contends that the grilles on both the vehicles are different. In spite of this agreement, Fiat has filed for a suit to stop imports and sale of ROXOR products in USA.

This suit filed by Fiat Chrysler appears to be an attempt to safeguard its sales and profits in the American market, rather than a design infringement case. What do you think?

Compiled by: Adv. Sachi Kapoor | Concept & Edited by: Dr. Mohan Dewan

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