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JEEP

Jeep is an iconic American vehicle brand founded in 1941, whose flagship products – including the modern-day Jeep Grand Cherokee and the World War 2 Jeep – have bestowed the brand with a unique and enduring image of adventure and off-road driving.

Auto manufacturer Chrysler acquired Jeep in 1987. Today, Jeep continues to produce a variety of SUV’s and other off-road capable vehicles, and is widely recognized as the inspiration for the contemporary popularity of vehicles such as the Hummer and the Land Rover. The first Jeep was produced exclusively for military use and became a symbol of both the U.S. and Allied presence in WWII. In 1945, the first mass-market Jeeps were introduced to the public, beginning a long and successful period for the brand.

Since the 1950’s, Jeep has produced a number of models that have proven popular with the buying public, including the Wrangler, the CJ-5, the Golden Eagle and the Cherokee. Since the company’s founding, Jeep has weathered a succession of ownership changes: from Willys-Overland, to Kaiser Motors, to American Motor Corporation in 1970. French auto manufacturer Renault invested in AMC before AMC was purchased by Chrysler Corporation in 1987. Thanks to licensing agreements, Jeeps have been produced by a variety of international manufacturers between 1950 and 1987, including companies in India, Spain, South America and Japan.

Jeep vehicles are renowned for their reliability when driving off-road. The modern Jeep Wrangler has solid front and rear axles, a rare feature even among four-wheel-drive trucks and SUV’s. The relatively compact size of many Jeeps also makes them useful in varied environments.

There has been much speculation about the origin of the Jeep brand name. While several theories have gained some traction, none are as convincing as the assertion that the name Jeep is in fact a phonetic reading of the letters GP, which had been painted on the military version of Jeeps in World War 2 (technically called Willys, at the time) and which stood for “General Purpose” .

Regardless of the provenance of the Jeep name, the brand and vehicle remain iconic today, with new models of Jeeps being produced every year for a receptive public. The spirit of adventure and exploration associated with Jeep has been the brand’s most enduring trait, and has continued to drive interest in the rugged, compact off-road SUV’s that existed long before the term “sport utility vehicle” was coined. In 2015, Jeep released its latest offering, the 4x4 Renegade. Starting at only $20,000, the Renegade is marketed towards younger drivers who are seeking to embark on the sorts of adventures commonly associated with the Jeep brand.