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 Jeep 5
For many years, or rather, decades, Willys Overland tried to break free from its reliance on the military alone. In addition, there was initially a civilian version that hadn't been modified very much. In 1948, the
Jeepster was introduced, featuring a six-cylinder engine, a longer wheelbase, and independent front suspension, though it no longer had four-wheel drive.
Whether it was a takeover or, in reality, a merger, in any case, 'Willys' became 'Kaiser-Willys' starting in 1953. The Kaiser-Frazer Group's greatest contribution to Jeep development was arguably the creation
of the world's first Sport Utility Vehicle, nicknamed the 'Wagoneer'.
It was the near-total freedom of being able to take the family and plenty of luggage along on four powered wheels and still enjoy plenty of comfort. In the end, the only question that remained, for almost all of
that time, which tires to choose: road tires or off-road tires. In the end, the car was even available with a V8 engine.
The Jeep dominated the off-road vehicle market unchallenged for a long time, until International and then Ford, with the Bronco (see the next chapter), discovered the growing popularity among buyers.
Kaiser-Willys tried everything it could with the Jeep, but never managed to achieve a reliable level of production sales for the private sector.
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In 1970/1971, amidst a crisis, the owner changed once again. Willys was sold to the American Motors Corporation. The assessment provided an overview of the dealer network. There
were major upheavals here, with roughly as many new dealers joining as old ones (had to) leave. They were too unprofessional, perfect for a time when only farmers and foresters were interested in the Jeep.
| Four lines of Jeep models |
| 1. An evolution of the classic Jeep with an even more compact exterior, more powerful engines, eye-catching tires, and a roll bar. |
| 2. Enlarged body while retaining the Jeep's distinctive front end, enclosed body, and four-wheel drive. |
| 3. A highly simplified, very affordable model without all-wheel drive, closed. |
| 4. An SUV that barely resembles a Jeep anymore, offering plenty of space and comfort, yet still featuring all-wheel drive. |
AMC wanted to capture the enormous potential of urban buyers. Surprisingly, the changes were essentially limited to the vehicles' appearance, rather than their technology. AMC had been part of
Chrysler since 1987 and part of the Fiat-Chrysler Group since 2014. The Jeep lineup is now divided into the Wrangler, which represents the original design and engineering lineage, and the other models: the
Renegade, Cherokee, and Compass.
Overall, the company's sales had seen a tremendous upswing. Originally limited to North America, the Jeep brand's SUV boom had led to its widespread popularity. From four production facilities in North
America, the number grew to ten across six countries. More than 1.4 million units are now (2017) sold each year. The brand name's potential is obvious, because the technology didn't really stand out from the
competition, especially since it was also available in vehicles like the Fiat 500X.
With the exception of the Wrangler, all the others were equipped with all-wheel-drive systems that were quite comparable to those found on the most common vehicles, although the Renegade's resemblance to the
Wrangler did nothing to change that. On the contrary, the entry-level model usually even came in a front-wheel-drive version. In this book on four-wheel-drive vehicles, we will now turn our attention to the only model that can
rightly be called a descendant of the 1941 Willys.
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