Mahindra Roxor a Brand-new, Indian-Built Willys CJ

Roxor offers turbo diesel power in a classic Jeep design, but it isn’t legal for road use anywhere in the U.S.

Having a classic Willys CJ to play with at your local off-road park sounds like fun, but these vehicles are 60 years old and, in many cases, they are just too nice to beat up in the mud. Fortunately, Indian automobile manufacturer Mahindra now offers the Roxor, a newly-built rendition of the CJ with diesel power. The downside is that it isn’t legal for road use in the United States.

Mahindra and Jeep

Mahindra is massive manufacturing company in India that has long been involved with the auto industry. Back in the 1940s, Mahindra built the CJ for the Asian market under license from Jeep and the company continued to do so well into the 2000s. The company even sells a version of the CJ for road use in India, but with the ROXOR, the Indian-built Jeep is coming to America.

Of course, this is with Jeep’s permission, so there are a few changes required, along with some unique restrictions on the vehicle’s performance under the federal laws on powersports vehicles. Basically, the ROXOR is viewed by the US government in the same way as a Polaris RZR or a golf cart, but it might just be the coolest vehicle in that not-for-road-use segment.

The Roxor

As you can see in the images here, the Mahindra Roxor looks just like the classic Willys CJ, with the exception of the grille. Since the seven-slot grille is a Jeep trademark, Mahindra had to remove it for their own vehicles, but there is no question that this vehicle is inspired by the classic CJ.

Key features required by powersports laws include a full tube roll cage, three-point safety harnesses and the speed is governed to 45 miles per hour. Power comes from a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine that delivers 62 horsepower and 144 lb-ft of torque, sent to all four wheels via a selectable four-wheel-drive system, a manual transmission and solid axles, with disc brakes up front and drum brakes out back.

The Roxor weighs 3,035 pounds, with a 96-inch wheelbase, a 62-inch track width and an overall length of 148 inches, so while it is a bit on the hefty side, its small stature will allow it to fit down tight off-road paths. Surprisingly, the Roxor can tow 3,490 pounds, so the modern CJ can pull a pretty decent-sized vehicle out of the woods.

An Affordable Toy Jeep

Since the Mahindra Roxor is not legal for road use, it is really just an elaborate off-road toy, but as brand-new, off-road-ready Jeeps go, the starting price of $15K is surprisingly low. That is within the price range of the Polaris RZR, and while that might be a bit more powerful, it is nowhere near as cool as the Roxor.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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