FCA is disappointed at the US commission’s decision to overturn the ban and is going to appeal against it
The Mahindra Roxor’s saga is not over yet. The old gen Thar-derived simple off-road runabout which was assembled and sold locally in the US has been facing several massive hurdles due to design infringement of Jeep Wrangler. The audience base for the attractively priced off-roader is sizable enough for Mahindra to go back to drawing board to address the legal issues.
Mahindra Roxor episode – A recap
Most of you are probably aware of the previous stages of this story but here is a recap for the uninitiated. In June, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that the Mahindra Roxor’s design infringes on Jeep Wrangler’s “trade dress”.
The judge also prohibited the sales and import of the concerned vehicle and its parts. While Mahindra ditched the controversial grille and redesigned it, it was still deemed to be infringing crucial aspects of Wrangler’s trade dress.
Not wanting to abandon the lucrative project, Mahindra decided to go back to the drawing board and address the points of conflict one by one. The final result is the 2021 Mahindr Roxor which looks significantly different from the original model.
New ITC Ruling lifts ban on Mahindra Roxor in the US
After the most recent hearing, the Trade Commission ruled that the latest version of Mahindra Roxor does not violate the FCA-owned Jeep’s trade dress or intellectual property rights. The ITC also accepted an administrative judge’s recommendation made in October which states that the design changes made are adequate and the earlier cease and desist order should not apply for the latest iteration of the Roxor.
Reacting to ITC’s ruling, Mahindra stated, “The ruling validates Mahindra’s redesign of the highly popular Roxor off-road vehicle. Mahindra is now permitted to manufacture and distribute the redesigned 2021 Roxor.”
FCA’s reaction
While the 2021 Mahindra Roxor looks nothing like any of the current of previous versions of Jeep Wrangler anymore, the American SUV brand’s parent company FCA is not happy with ITC’s decision to lift the ban. In a statement, FCA admitted that it is “disappointed by the commission’s decision regarding the redesign”. The auto major believes that it will be successful it its appeal to overturn this decision.
Main design changes of 2021 Mahindra Roxor
Jeep’s trade dress which is composed of salient features of its design includes boxy design with flat panels and a rear boxy work ended about the same height as the hood. With its redesign, Mahindra avoided the conflict by lowering the rear bodywork considerably below the height of the hood. According to FCA, this is not the end of this legal tug-of-war but the Roxor will be back in the US market soon, at least for now.
