Jeep is a legendary American company specializing in the production of SUVs. Over its 80-year history, it has become an iconic brand not only in the United States but throughout the world. Its cars are always distinguished by their reliability, safety and comfort, thanks to which they are successfully sold in dozens of countries. Let’s study the history, features of the brand, and the Jeep model range in more detail together.
History of the legendary brand
Jeep’s official history dates back to 1943 when its executives applied for a trademark. However, the process of forming a cult brand started a little earlier. In 1940, engineer K. Probst designed the first car, an improved version of which began to be produced a few years later under the Jeep brand. This transport was intended for the needs of the American army. It had a good carrying capacity and was distinguished by increased maneuverability and reliability. Since Jeep was not officially registered in the early 40s, the created car was transferred to Ford and Willys-Overland, which were already well-known. They tweaked it, resulting in the Ford GPW and Jeep Willys MB. These cars became iconic during World War II. They were used not only by American military personnel but also by all of their allies.
Even before the end of the war, Willys-Overland released an updated version of the military vehicle, which was intended for civilian use. It was of sufficient quality, so they began to use it for traveling through difficult places and performing various agricultural work. This model was called CJ, which stood for “Civilian Jeep”. After the end of the war, the slightly modified CJ became the first car to be officially produced under the Jeep brand. However, due to various lawsuits, the hood was replaced by the word “Willys” instead of the company name. In 1950, after all the problems were resolved, it was replaced with the Jeep logo we know today.
Immediately after receiving official brand status, Jeep began developing several SUV models. Between 1950 and 1953, many variants of the beloved CJ and military vehicles were produced. In mid-1953, Jeep ceased to be the property of Willys-Overland, as it was sold to Kaiser-Fraizer. For the next two years, no significant changes occurred. However, already in 1955, the new owner of Jeep stopped the process of creating passenger cars, which were initially planned to be produced under the legendary brand, and completely switched to SUVs. In the ‘60s, Kaiser-Fraizer was not doing well, so they decided to change its name to popularize the company. The revamped Kaiser-Jeep also failed to profit, so vehicle production was transferred to American Motors Corporation (AMC).
In the 70s, the new owner of the legendary brand began producing the sixth and seventh modifications of the CJ SUVs. They became famous worldwide, and sales exceeded 100 thousand units. The Jeep logo was also placed on new military vehicles. In the late 70s, AMC attracted investment from Renault to produce SUVs. It was the French who were able to open Jeep fully to European buyers. Cars of this brand began to be sold at Renault dealerships, which were located in many European countries at that time.
In the 80s, the company produced several legendary SUVs, which many consider among the best in history. These cars received a lot of good reviews and became the best-selling vehicles. In 1987, AMC was sold to Chrysler Corporation. It was from this moment that a new round of Jeep development began. In the 90s, cars produced under this brand gradually increased in popularity in North America and Europe. Its appeal was further advanced by the Grand Cherokee, released for Jeep’s 50th anniversary. It became an innovative model as the company’s engineers improved almost all the car’s critical components. A few years later, the world saw an improved Wrangler, considered the successor to the old Willys.
Jeep accelerated expanding its sales geography at the beginning of the 21st century. This is how the legendary SUVs became available in almost all countries. This circumstance has led to a record increase in demand for various Jeep models. The number of cars sold increased yearly; in 2012, it amounted to more than 700 thousand units. This figure was a record, which once again proved the worldwide popularity of the brand. Jeep isn’t slowing down these days. Its vehicles are successfully sold on all continents and are used to perform a wide variety of tasks.
Popular models of the past and present
Over the years, Jeep has produced hundreds of vehicle models. Many of them have become so popular that they are remembered decades later. There are few models in the company’s modern lineup, but each deserves your attention.
Of course, we need to highlight the CJ series cars among the past models. Their different versions were produced between 1945 and 1985. These civilian vehicles are small SUVs that feature an open body. They became a follower of military Jeep models, adopting most of their design and equipment. As the CJ was improved, civilians received various additions that increased user comfort and made travel safer. Among all the versions of these SUVs, the most successful were the CJ-5 Tuxedo Park (1961), CJ-5 Renegade I (1970), CJ-7 Renegade Levi’s (1975), and CJ-7 Golden Eagle (1977).
The DJ series SUVs have been an alternative to the CJ for many years. They were produced from 1955 to 1984. Over the years, 12 varieties of DJ series cars have been created. Each became an improved version of its predecessor and received various additions. The main feature of all models is their compactness. Thanks to it, the cars were as easy to use as possible and could be used for various purposes. Of the many versions of DJ SUVs, the most famous are the DJ-3A Gala (1959), DJ-5 Dispatcher 100 (1965), and DJ-5E Electruck (1974).
Among the Jeep cars produced these days, many attractive models exist. All of them deserve attention and are in demand among drivers. First of all, we should highlight the Jeep Renegade. This subcompact crossover has been produced since 2014. It is assembled outside of North America but sold throughout the world. A new or wrecked Jeep Renegade at auction has excellent handling and a high level of safety. It is sold in 5 configuration options, each with its own characteristics.
It is impossible to ignore the famous Jeep Grand Cherokee. This mid-size SUV appeared quite a long time ago, but even today, it remains trendy. Its aggressive design sets it apart from other Jeep models. The car also has high ground clearance and a heavy-duty suspension. This combination makes the Grand Cherokee ideal for driving on any surface. Among modern full-size Jeep SUVs, the Grand Wagoneer is the leader. This car appeared only a few years ago but managed to win the hearts of fans of the legendary automaker. Its appearance and excellent characteristics give us the right to include the Grand Wagoneer in the luxury vehicles of our time.
The Avenger is considered, unlike many other Jeep models. This car is the most compact among all the company’s modern crossovers. It will be produced from 2023 and is intended exclusively for European consumers. The main feature of the Avenger is the presence of an electric motor. It has a reasonably high power, but at the same time, it is distinguished by its ability to consume battery energy economically. This allows the Avenger to travel about 400 km on a single charge. Among other popular models of our day, we should note the Compass, Commander, and Wrangler. All of them have unique features, but at the same time, they have some distinctive features characteristic of Jeep vehicles.
The future of Jeep
Jeep is an 80-year-old company that never stands still. It is actively developing, trying to introduce the latest developments into its cars as quickly as possible. This operating principle will continue shortly. The company will try to surprise its customers and become even more attractive. The produced models will combine history and modernity. The company is already developing crossovers with some distinctive features characteristic of past models. At the same time, these cars will be equipped with an electric motor, which is becoming a mandatory attribute of most modern vehicles. Sales of the new Wagoneer S and Recon models will begin in North America and Europe in the first half of 2024.
An essential area of Jeep development shortly will be the popularization of the brand in regions where the most significant number of potential buyers live. First of all, we are talking about the countries of the Persian Gulf, for whose markets there is an active struggle with other well-known automakers. The trend associated with an increase in Jeep car sales points will continue. Thus, new dealership centers are expected to appear in dozens of countries in Europe and North America.
Jeep is rightly called the legendary American automaker. This company’s cars are popular all over the world and occupy high places in various ratings. This was made possible through many years of experience, tradition and the desire to remain on top. There is no doubt that Jeep will remain a cult brand in the future and regularly delight its fans with interesting new products.
