60 years of the Jeep

The year 2001 seems to be a year for many automobile manufacturers to celebrate a milestone in their history and for Jeep, perhaps, it is a very deserved celebration.

July 23, 1941, was the day that Willys-Overland of Toledo, Ohio, landed a contract from the U.S. Army for the production of the Willys MB, during World War II.

As hostilities broke out in Western Europe in the late '30s, the U.S. Army began to seek an alternative to the motorised tricycle/sidecar combination traditionally used for messenger and advance reconnaissance duties.

By the summer of 1940, the Army had almost finalised a specification for a new type of general-purpose vehicle that was lightweight, manoeuvrable, tough, reliable and agile. Three manufacturers were invited to take up the challenge to develop such a vehicle – Ford, Bantam and Willys-Overland – with the added complication that it was needed yesterday! Each company had to produce 1,500 units of their solution for field tests and, eventually, the Willys-Overland was selected, with a few improvements from the Ford and Bantam models added. The contract was signed on July 23, 1941.

The American and Allied troops absolutely loved the MB, and it soon became known as the Jeep – from its acronym 'G-P' (General Purpose) vehicle. One famous war correspondent was quoted as saying, "I don't think we could have continued the war without the Jeep. It does everything. It's as faithful as a dog, as strong as a mule and as agile as a goat. It carries twice what it was designed for and keeps on going!"

Its versatility meant that new uses were constantly being found for the vehicle. It served in every Word War II front as a machine gun firing mount, an ambulance stretcher-bearer, reconnaissance vehicle, pick-up truck, general's limo, ammo-bearer, wire-layer and taxi. During the war period, over 600,000 Jeep vehicles were produced.

Jeep in peacetime

After the war ended, the American forces pulled out of Europe and other theatres leaving behind them, among other things – including nylon stockings and chewing gum – thousands of Jeeps. The local population took to them with delight, and they were immediately put to work in the forests, on farms and for other uses. The next step was inevitable – people started using them for fun and recreation. So was born a new vehicle culture – the 4WD on and off-road leisure scenario.

Willys-Overland was ahead of the game and had already started designing a private version of the Jeep for the general public to enjoy. Its first model, the versatile CJ-2A, went on sale in 1945 priced at $1,090, and it had such luxury features as a tailgate and automatic windshield wipers!

So, the Jeep legend that had started in wartime circumstances was continued as peace broke out around the world. The rest is history.

In 1950, Willys-Overland decided to capitalise on the brand equity and registered the Jeep name as its trademark, both in the United States and internationally.

Over the next 50 years, the Jeep brand was highlighted by many new models and several changes of ownership, firstly when the Kaiser Corporation bought Willys-Overland in 1953. During their stewardship of the brand, they developed new concepts of 4x4 models and, when the term SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) was introduced in the sixties, it was simply a label for the reality that Jeep had long been celebrating.

They introduced the first V8 engine in a Jeep in 1965 with 250 bhp and easy-to-use controls for selecting 4WD from 2WD and for getting into Low range.

Another takeover in 1970 put another company in charge of the Jeep tradition, as American Motors Corporation (AMC) acquired the Kaiser Jeep Corporation and encouraged the growth and expansion of the Jeep line. AMC can be credited with devising the '70s mantra: off-roading in Jeeps is fun!

It was responsible for the development of Jeep's Quadra-Trac automatic full-time four-wheel-drive system, first introduced in 1974, and the following year, the first Jeep Cherokee was launched to the delight of the ever-growing band of off-road enthusiasts around the world.

In the early '80s, the American automobile industry was struggling due to a rough recession, but the Jeep team was busy designing, researching and testing an all-new sport wagon. Its research found that many owners, conscious of the recession and higher fuel prices, wanted their SUV to be smaller, neater and more car-like. Jeep responded with the 1984 Cherokee, a model that truly started the compact SUV boom. The year 1987 saw the introduction of a new Jeep Wrangler – the forerunner of today's highly popular Jeep icon.

Another milestone in the Jeep saga took place on August 5, 1987, when the mighty Chrysler Corporation acquired AMC. They in turn continued the marriage of Jeep's off-road heritage with American automotive levels of good handling, safety, ride and comfort. They were setting the stage for a new era in Jeep history. The current Jeep models had their beginnings in the '90s with the Grand Cherokee introduced in 1992 and an all-new Wrangler with coil spring suspension being launched in 1996.

Yet, another ownership change took place in 1998, when the Chrysler Corporation merged with Daimler Benz to create DaimlerChrysler and to take charge of the custody and guardianship of the Jeep legacy.

Jeep in the 2000s
After 60 years of history, the legendary Jeep brand continues its commitment to do what it does best – maintaining its roots of authentic 4WD capability and combining it with exceptional on-road performance.

The new Jeep Cherokee, first seen at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit, fully embodies that philosophy.