Court Rules that the Jeep-like Mahindra Roxor Must Cease Production
When it comes to Jeep’s unique trademark styling, the Roxor was just a bit too close for comfort.
We’ve written about FCA’s lengthy court battle with the Indian manufacturer Mahindra before. Mahindra manufactures the Roxor, an off-road recreational vehicle that closely resembles classic postwar Jeeps like the iconic CJ-5. The Roxor is built in Auburn Hills, Michigan, just about 100 miles away from Jeep’s Toledo, Ohio assembly plant.
Last last Thursday, the International Trade Commission released a decision that the Roxor infringed upon Jeep’s unique “trade dress.” As a result, they can no longer sell or manufacture the Roxor and must cease operations immediately. According to Reuters, the U.S. Trade Representative has 60 days to potentially reverse the decision. However, that is an unlikely outcome.
Mahindra was smart enough to avoid using Jeep’s trademark seven-slot grille on the Roxor. Clearly, they had learned their lesson from an earlier court case involving the Hummer. Unfortunately, the rest of the Roxor looked too much like, well, a Jeep.
The International Trade Commission began their investigation all the way back in September of 2018. A preliminary decision was reached last November, but the COVID-19 outbreak postponed a final judgement until now.
Going Through Some Changes
In a statement, FCA said they were pleased with the decision, although they reserved further comment until they had a chance to study the ruling. Mahindra, on the other hand, may appeal the decision, although they point out that the version of the Roxor subject to the lawsuit is no longer in production. Due in part to the global pandemic, as well as this court battle, Mahindra has reported a quarterly loss.
For 2020, the Roxor has been refreshed with a new grille design. The current Roxor looks like something straight out of a Grand Theft Auto game, hopefully looking just enough like an amalgamation of a Jeep CJ-5 and an FJ40 Toyota Land Cruiser to be recognizable while avoiding similar litigation.
The Roxor configurator is up and running with the newest version of the off-road vehicle. All sorts of options are available, from paint and trim to a choice of doors, windshields, and tops. A lift kit and 32-inch tires — or even Mattracks — are available straight off the showroom floor for the right price. Creature comforts like heat, A/C, stereo, and even windshield wipers are optional.
Photos: Reuters/Mahindra
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