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Utility vehicle specialist Mahindra & Mahindra has termed Fiat Chrysler’s (FCA) allegations as baseless while also stating that is has the right to manufacture and sell the Roxor off-roader in the US.
“We understand that a complaint has been filed by FCA with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) against M&M. Mahindra has not yet been served with the complaint and we prefer not to comment at length on the dispute at this time. However, we have reviewed FCA’s core filing and find it to be without merit," said the Mumbai-based company.
On August 1, FCA US LLC filed a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission alleging violations of section 337 of Tariff Act 1930 in which it claims that Mahindra’s off-road utility vehicle Roxor is a copy of the Jeep design IP owned by FCA.
“The Roxor is a derivative of Mahindra vehicles distributed in those markets. Based on these agreements and our history, we believe that FCA’s claims are baseless and Mahindra is well within its rights to both manufacture and distribute the ROXOR off-road vehicle", Mahindra added.
Mahindra’s relationship with Fiat Chrysler began in the 1940s with the original agreement with Willys and continues to this day, with the most recent agreement executed with FCA (then Chrysler Group LLC) in 2009, claims M&M.
“Our actions, products, and product distribution (including Roxor) both honor the legacy of the relationship and the terms of our agreements with FCA. Mahindra has been co-existing with FCA (and the Jeep brand) for over 25 years in India and in many other countries”, added M&M.
FCA has appealed to authorities to bring an immediate halt to all sales and marketing activities of the Mahindra Roxor in the US while calling it unlawful and unauthorized.
“FCA’s predecessors did have prior dealings with Mahindra India, granting Mahindra India limited contractual rights to manufacture and/or sell Jeep branded components and products in India beginning in the 1940s. And none of those contracts at any time granted Mahindra India (or any other Mahindra entity) ownership rights over Jeep brand-related intellectual property. Nor did any of these past agreements grant any rights to manufacture, sell, or advertise vehicles, such as the Accused Products, incorporating the Jeep IP in the United States”, FCA had said it is filing with the US authorities.
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