Although Mahindra had carried out extensive changes to Roxor, FCA has been insisting that the off-roader still violates design trademark rules In a positive development from Mahindra’s perspective, the Eastern District Court of Michigan has lifted the ban on production, sales and distribution of post-2020 Roxor in the United States. Information about the court ruling was published in a regulatory filing submitted by Mahindra. The court ruling unlocks opportunities for Roxor in other international markets as well.
However, it is not yet known how FCA is looking to respond to these latest developments. It is possible that FCA may file an appeal in a higher court. For now, post-2020 Roxor has gotten the green signal in the United States. “Safe distance rule” rejected by court Launched in 2018 in the United States, Mahindra Roxor had gained significant fan following among off-road enthusiasts and farming communities. The original version had quite a few similarities with Jeep.
It had prompted FCA to file a lawsuit in Michigan. A case was also filed with the US International Trade Commission (ITC). Based on the court ruling that supported FCA’s allegations, Mahindra had carried out major changes to Roxor. The first set of changes were introduced in early 2020, followed by some more changes later that year. However, FCA was still not convinced. The case was referred to the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals in September 2022.
Eventually, the Detroit court was asked to assess if the post-2020 Roxor complied with the “safe distance” rule in context of the Jeep design. Since the matter was in court, Mahindra was unable to manufacture and sell Roxor in the United States. In the latest order, the Eastern District Court of Michigan has ruled against the applicability of the “safe distance rule”.
This rule has been created to prevent recurring trademark violations by any specific entity. It gives courts the power to quickly take a decision, without having to review the entire case again. The safe distance rule helps keep a check on repeat trademark violations. In Roxor’s case, the court has concluded that the safe distance rule cannot be enforced. It essentially means that post-2020 Roxor no longer violates any of the design trademarks as alleged by FCA. Mahindra can now start manufacturing and selling Roxor in the United States.
Mahindra Roxor performance, specs Powering Mahindra Roxor is a 2.5-litre turbo diesel motor that generates 62 hp of max power and 144 lb-ft (approx. 195 Nm) of peak torque. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, with 2-speed manual transfer case. Roxor is available in both 2WD and 4WD formats. Two variants are on offer, the base-spec starting at $20,599 (~ INR 16.90 lakh) and the all-weather model with MSRP of $28,739 (~ INR 23.58 lakh). Roxor is preferred for its load carrying, hill climbing and towing capabilities. Payload capacity is rated at 349 lb / 158.30 kg, whereas towing capacity is 3490 lb / 1583 kg. Roxor’s 9-inch ground clearance allows it to easily tackle a wide variety of off-road tracks.
Credit : https://www.rushlane.com/mahindra-roxor-ban-lifted-in-the-us-once-again-on-sale-12474605.html
