Jeep
Jeep is a brand of American automobiles that is a division of FCA US LLC (formerly Chrysler Group, LLC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.[1][2] The former Chrysler Corporation acquired the Jeep brand, along with the remaining assets of its owner American Motors, in 1987. Jeep's current product range consists solely of sport utility vehicles and off-road vehicles, but has also included pickup trucks in the past.
 | |
| Founder | Willys Jeep |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | , USA |
| Parent | Chrysler |
The original Jeep was the prototype Bantam BRC. Willys MB Jeeps went into production in 1941 specifically for the military. Arguably that makes them the oldest four-wheel drive mass-production vehicles now known as SUVs.[3] The Jeep became the primary light 4-wheel-drive vehicle of the United States Army and the Allies during World War II. It remained so in the postwar period. The term became common worldwide in the wake of the war. Doug Stewart notes:
- The spartan, cramped, and unstintingly functional jeep became the ubiquitous World War II four-wheeled personification of Yankee ingenuity and cocky, can-do determination."[4]
The first civilian models were produced in 1945.[5] It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover.[6][7] Many Jeep variants serving similar military and civilian roles have since been designed in other nations. In 2007 Jeep began manufacturing crossover SUVs with its Compass and Patriot models. This led to the 2013 Jeep Cherokee midsize crossover.
Jeep Media
Bantam's BRC 40, pictured in 1941
Jeep with 50 cal. Browning machine gun (2008)
Willys MB Jeep - from 1943 * seen at Crash Museum 40 - 45 - Aalsmeerderbrug
Jeep M715, developed in 1965
Willys wartime advertisement promoting its Jeeps' contribution to the war effort
Jeep Rubicon TJ Rock Crawling at Paragon Off Road Park in Hazelton, PA.
Willys MA on the assembly line, 1941
1942 Willys MB slat grille
1952–1957 Willys / Kaiser MD
M715 pick-up truck, Łańcut, Poland
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References
- ↑ "Chrysler 8-K/A SEC filing" (PDF). secdatabase.com. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ↑ "Chrysler Group LLC". InsideView company data. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
Chrysler Group LLC operates as a subsidiary of Fiat North America LLC
- ↑ Russell, Philip (2013). 100 Military Inventions that Changed the World. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 9781472106704. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ↑ Stewart, Doug (1992). "Hail to the jeep! Could we have won without it?". Smithsonian. 23 (8): 60-69.
- ↑ Swan, Tony (January 1991). "Jeep Thrills". Popular Mechanics. 168 (1): 106–107.
- ↑ Gunn, Richard (2006). Trucks & Off-Road Vehicles. Motorbooks. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-7603-2569-8. Retrieved 31 July 2011.[dead link]
- ↑ Robson, Graham (1981). The Rover Story. Stephens. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-85059-543-7.
The first Land-Rover owed a lot to the Jeep. Designer Gordon Bashford, who laid out the basic concept, makes no secret of that. It was also his job to go off to an ex-WD surplus vehicle dump in the Cotswolds, buy a couple of roadworthy Jeeps...
