Jeep Company History
Jeep history is storied. Even the brand name has several stories behind it; some suggest it was coined during World War I, while others attribute it to aPopeye comic character. Regardless of the roots of the term “jeep,” the company itself dates to the thirties. The Wyllys company, as it was then known, was selected by the US government to make a small, light, four wheel drive reconnaissance vehicle, the Wyllys MA, for use in World War II. The vehicle’s reputation for reliability over all types of terrain spread quickly through the ranks of American allies, and it was soon the most requested form of aid provided to them, impressing evenJosef Stalin.
In 1942, the company expanded successfully into the civilian market with its “Jeep in Civvies” ads, primarily targeting GI’s returning home. The first mass-market CJ vehicle (“CJ” standing for “civilian jeep”) became available in 1945. Wyllys soon augmented their line-up with the CJ with the Jeepster, a sports car type model, and the Wyllys wagon, forerunner of the current Jeep Commander, and, according to somesources, the origination of the tailgate picnic.
In 1953, Kaiser Industries bought the Wyllys company, maintaining the Wyllys name. That same year saw the introduction of the Wyllys CJ-3B, a model that was kept in active production until 1968. In 1963, Kaiser introduced the Wagoneer, similar to the old Wyllys wagon, at the same time that they changed the company’s name to Kaiser Jeep. The Wagoneer, the first sport utility vehicle, was unique at the time in offering both automatic transmission and four wheel drive.
American Motors Corporation bought Kaiser Jeep in 1970, and introduced the still-used QuadraTrak full-time four wheel drive system in 1973. In 1974, AMC introduced the Cherokee, a lower priced SUV, to capitalize on the Wagoneer’s popularity. It was so successful that in 1983 the Wagoneer line was discontinued. In 1987, AMC discontinued the trademark CJ line and introduced the similar, but more road-friendly Wrangler. Soon after, Chrysler bought Jeep from AMC, leaving most of the product lines in place at the time of the transaction. In 2001, Chrysler decided to discontinue most Cherokees, leaving only the Grand, which was essentially the old Wagoneer. Chrysler then introduced the Liberty, with styling that harkened back to the Wyllys days and the current Wrangler. In 2005, the brand new Commander was introduced, with a third row of seating, and in 2007, two new cross-overs were added, the Patriot and the Compass.
