William Gillespie Abpt Minor 02/01/2013

The Jeep story

The history of the Jeep can be traced back as early as World War II when the Army had auto manufacturers design prototype vehicles. The resulting design was known as Willys Quad, an all-terrain lightweight vehicle. They were used during the war for a variety of land action during the war including laying telephone communications, to transport the wounded, and as taxis for commanders, generals, prime ministers and presidents. It is unknown where the Jeep name came from but one of the theories is that the term general purpose was shortened to Jeep. Willys Overland, the manufacturer, recognized the usefulness of the Jeep to the civilian market. In 1945, the first civilian Jeep model was produced and called the CJ2A. Willys Overland continued to produce Jeeps throughout the 1940s including the first all-steel station wagon in 1946. It was significantly sturdier than the wooden station wagons of the time and saw the addition of four wheel drive in 1949. It was ultimately the precursor to todays Grand Cherokee. Additionally, the CJ-2A was updated in 1953 to the CJ-3B with a different body style then the military inspired vehicles. In 1953, the company was sold to Keiser Motors which became Keiser Jeep in 1963. Kaiser introduced the CJ-5 in 1955 which would continue to be produced up until the 1980s. The company changed hands again in 1970 when American Motor Corporation bought the company. They continued to make changes to the Jeep design as the market for off-road vehicles increased in popularity. The CJ-7 was introduced in 1976 and had a molded plastic top and steel doors. AMC continued production of the CJ-7 until 1987 when the Wrangler was introduced. This was created as a combination

of the utilitarian features of the CJ and the comfort level of the typical passenger car. Because AMC had seen the Cherokee which was produced in 1984 achieve such recognition, they wanted to create a vehicle with the off-road capability of the CJ and the features of the Cherokee. Around this time, AMC was bought out by the Chrysler cooperation who continues to manufacture Jeeps to this day. Throughout the 1990s, Jeep continued to manufacture both the Wrangler and Cherokee. From its introduction in 1987 to 1995, the YJ model of the Wrangler was made. In 1995, the model was changed to the TJ and included a change back to the original CJs round headlamps. It was also the last model to use AMCs signature parts. In 2007, the JK replaced the TJ and is the model that continues to be manufactured today. Currently, the Jeep company manufactures five models including the Wrangler, the Grand Cherokee, the Liberty, the Compass and the Patriot. The Liberty was ultimately a replacement for the Cherokee while the Compass and Patriot are smaller sized crossover SUVs. Jeep vehicles continue to be a top choice of consumers who want the both the utilitarian qualities and comforts that their vehicles have to offer. The seven slats in the front grill are still a recognizable symbol of the Jeep, one that began with that first Army vehicle back in World War II. http://www.jeep.com/en/history/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Wrangler http://www.hrja.org/jeep.htm