The Jeep: A Legacy of Adventure and Utility

It's one of the most recognizable vehicles in the entire world, an All-American workhorse designed to go anywhere! Mountain passes, deep forest, the high desert, even underwater - anywhere is no match for this iconic vehicle. Our story begins near the end of World War II, when the Willys-Overland Company knew that the worldwide conflict wouldn't last much longer and as a result they wouldn't be selling as many Jeeps.

The company had to adapt their MB war machine into something more accessible for the civilian market, resulting in the creation of the new civilian Jeep, or CJ. The first of which was a tailgate so you could put stuff in the back more easily. The headlights were bigger and they weren't recessed into the grill like the old MB. The transmission was different, too. But other than these changes, the CJ was the same workhorse as the MB that GIs were driving in the war.

Willys-Overland started selling the CJ2A in 1945. People loved it at first, but soon realized that even though they were marketing the CJ2A as a rugged utilitarian work vehicle, people still wanted to be comfortable. In 1949, they rolled out the CJ3A which had better seats, more legroom, and a host of other creature comforts for the average civilian driver. Unfortunately, this move didn't stimulate sales like they had hoped, and the financial situation of Willys-Overland turned dire.

Enter Henry J. Kaiser, a shipbuilding industrialist and early founder of Kaiser Permanente hospitals. Henry also wanted to start a car company but knew he was too small to compete with big companies like Ford and Chevy, so he offered to buy Willys-Overland and continue Jeep production under the Willys nameplate. Before they could release an all-new model, they had one last refresh of the CJ3 up their sleeve.

The new CJ3B was a little more comfortable but this time around more powerful as well. The new hurricane engine made a whopping 74 horsepower and needed a bigger hood to fit it in the car, and thus the Jeep started bulking up! The first Jeep designed and produced under Kaiser's ownership was the now-iconic CJ5. Introduced in 1955, the CJ5 boasted a new focus on universal utilitarianism. If you wanted a car that could handle anything you wanted between work and play, the CJ5 was the car for you.

Altogether, the CJ5 was very appealing to the civilian market because for the first time it was designed for them. This was the beginning of Jeep culture as we know it. Alongside the CJ5 was the CJ6, and it wasn't nearly as popular as the CJ5 here in the states. Even though CJ5 and 6 sales were good, Kaiser Jeep still found itself on the fringes of the car industry.

Forward-thinking as ever, Kaiser knew that the future belonged to a new generation. Development of the new model began before the handoff but the first new Jeep was the YJ, or as it was officially known, the Wrangler. Ever heard of it? It was a completely new design, independent from the CJ line. Gone were the circular headlights, now they were square! And that wouldn't be the only departure from the old CJ days, oh no! The YJ Wrangler was designed to be even more comfortable on the road.

The release of the YJ brought Jeep mania in full swing. It had been years since the brand was perceived as a quirky cult classic and had fully immersed itself in the mainstream. With the release of the YJ, Jeep became a household name. The first time the characters of Jurassic Park see a real live dinosaur, it's from the back of the iconic red and gray 1992 YJ Wrangler Sahara.

What's the difference between all the different Wrangler trim levels? Um, I think you meant to ask about the various models and their features. Let's take a look at some of the most popular ones:

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en(engine roaring)- Aw, yeah!- It's one of the mostrecognizable vehiclesin the entire world.An All-American workhorsedesigned to go anywhere!Mountain passes, deep forest,the high desert,(beeping) underwater!Anywhere!This is everything you need to knowto get Up To Speed on the Jeep!(8-bit music)Our story begins near the end of the war.The big one.The Willys-Overland Company knowsthe worldwide conflictwon't last much longerand as a result they won'tbe selling as many Jeeps.Now, this is a problembecause all the company isequipped to make at this pointis Jeeps.So they got to work adaptingtheir MB war machineinto something a littlemore accessible for thecivilized market.This new civilian Jeep,or CJ,would have special modificationsto help the transitionfrom the battlefield to the corn field,♪ We are Farmers,dum-da-dum-dum dum-dum-dum! ♪the first of which was a tailgateso you could put stuffin the back more easily.The headlights were biggerand they weren't recessed intothe grill like the old MB.The transmission was different, too.But other than these changes,the CJ was the same workhorse as the MBour GIs were driving in the war.Willys-Overland startedselling the CJ2A in 1945.And naturally, people loved it, right?No, not really.They realized that even thoughthey were marketing the CJ2Aas a rugged utilitarian work vehicle,people still wanted to be comfortable.So, in 1949, they rolled out the CJ3Awhich had better seats, more legroom,and a host of other creature comfortsfor the average civilian driver.Unfortunately, this movedidn't stimulate saleslike they had hoped,and the financial situation ofWillys-Overland turned dire.Enter Henry J. Kaiser.Henry was a shipbuilding industrialist,and early found of KaiserPermanente hospitals.Henry also wanted to start a car company,but knew he was too small to competewith big companies like Ford and Chevy,so he offered to buy Willys-Overlandand continue Jeep productionunder the Willys nameplate.Before they couldrelease an all-new model,they had one last refreshof the CJ3 up their sleeve.The new CJ3B was a little more comfy,but this time aroundmore powerful as well.The new hurricane enginemade a whopping 74 horsepowerand needed a bigger hoodto fit it in the car,and thus the Jeepstarted bulking up!The first Jeep designed and producedunder Kaiser's ownershipwas the now-iconic CJ5.Introduced in 1955, theCJ5 boasted a new focuson universal utilitarianism.If you wanted a car that couldhandle anything you wantedbetween work and play,the CJ5 was the car for you.- The toughestfour-letter word on wheels!- Altogether, the CJ5 was very appealingto the civilian marketbecause for the first time,it was designed for them.This was the beginningof Jeep culture as we know it.Alongside the CJ5 was the CJ6,and it wasn't nearly as popularas the CJ5 here in the states.Even though CJ5 and 6 sales were good,Kaiser Jeep still founditself on the fringesof the car industry.Forward-thinking as ever,Kaiser knew they neededa more mainstream foothold to survive,so they got in touch with theAmerican Motor Company, or:- AMC.- Who was looking for amore utilitarian platformto round out their moreperformance-oriented lineup.Jeep was already using someAMC engines by the mid-60s,so to merge the two companieswasn't too far-fetched.So, in 1970, Kaiser soldthe Jeep brand to AMC.The first order of businesswas to convert all ofJeep's models to AMC power.The CJ was now available withtwo AMC inline-six enginesand a 304 cubic inch V8.After the engine conversion was complete,AMC ordered a new designto put on the marketby the bicentennial in 1976.This new Jeep would be 10 inches longer,much more comfortable,and be equipped with the sweet-soundingQuadra-trac four-wheel-drive system.♪ Only in a Jeep! ♪- The CJ7 was an immediatesales hit as soon as it debuted.My dad bought one!Throughout its life, the CJ7 was availablein many different trim levels,all with badass names.You had the Laredo,the Renegade,the Golden Hawk,the Golden Frickin' Eagle!But, the top of the lineCJ7 was the Jamboree.It was Jam......packed with special featuresand released to commemoratethe 30th anniversaryof the most famous Jeep event at the time,the Georgetown Jeepers Jamboree.Jeepers creepers!Around the same time asthe Jamboree's release,Jeep also dropped a long wheelbasetruck version of the CJ7,called the CJ8 Scrambler.Like the CJ7, the Scramblerhad a removable roof,but unlike the CJ7, italso had a short bed.Less than 28,000 Scramblers were soldin its five-year lifespan.Not only was 1986 the lastyear for the Scrambler,but the CJ7 as well.The 41-year run from the CJ2Ato the CJ7 had concluded,and with it, AMC'sownership of the Jeep brand.As was tradition at this point,the Jeep name would be handed offfrom one struggling company to a new home,now at Chrysler.Development of the new modelbegan before the handoff,but the first new Jeep was the YJ,or, as it was officiallyknown, the Wrangler.Ever heard of it?It was a completely new design,independent from the CJ line.Gone were the circularheadlights, now they were square!And that wouldn't be the only departurefrom the old CJ days, oh no!The YJ Wrangler was designedto be even more comfortable on the road.With the release of the YJ,Jeep mania was in full swing.It had been years sincethe brand was perceivedas a quirky cult classic,and had fully immersed itselfin the mainstream.(dinosaur roaring)The first time thecharacters of Jurassic Parksee a real live dinosaur,it's from the back ofthe iconic red and gray1992 YJ Wrangler Sahara.Uh, yeah.- What's the differencebetween all the differentWrangler trim level?- Um, I think you meant "levels."The Wrangler S is the base model.Above that is the Laredowith its chrome grilleand removable hardtop.Then, there's the Islanderwith special coloroptions like Pacific Blueand Malibu Yellow.Above that is the Sport,which had a more powerful inline-six.Then the Renegade replaced the Laredoand was basically the bigdog option for the YJ.Then, in 1996, Jeepreplaced the YJ with the TJ,whose styling cues werea bit of a throwbrack--- - a bit of a throwback to the CJ.The round headlights were back,but the TJ entered themodern age of suspensionwith the inclusion of coil springsborrowed from the Cherokee.Eight years after the TJ's debut,the Wrangler Unlimited followed.This was another long wheelbase Jeep,ten inches longer than the regular TJ.The biggest leap the TJ madewas the introduction ofthe Wrangler Rubicon.It had super strong Dana 44 axles,31 inch off-road tires,and diamond plate rock rails,so you didn't scratch upyour paint out on the trails.(metal crunching)It took five years todevelop the TJ's replacement,with the new Wrangler dropping in 2006.The new JK model was no joke.(rimshot)It had a completely new body and chassisas well as tons of computer-aided stuffto help off-road.Possibly the biggest changeto the Wrangler lineupwas the reintroduction ofthe Wrangler Unlimited.This time, with four doors!Now, Jeep fans will arguewhether or not this is a real Jeep,but the fact remains, thatabout 75% of all JK's soldwere the four-door version.Early JK's came with a 3.8 liter V6,which was stupid heavy and underpowered,making only 202 horsepower.When paired with a four-speed automatic,it was kinda (beeping).But, luckily in 2013,Jeep upgraded the engineto the smaller 3.6 liter Pentastar V6that put out a monstrous-by-comparison265 horsepowers.Chrysler also produced a diesel version,but we'll never see it in the States,because the engine did notmeet emissions standards.(grumbling)After the 2008 economic crisis,Chrysler was in dire need of help.Fiat came along and boughta 20% stake in Chrysler.Then, in 2014, Fiat sealed the dealand bought full control, withbig plans for Jeep in mind.Jeep had always been anAmerican-centric brand,but Fiat was thinking big-picture,wanting to globalizethe legendary workhorseonce and for all.Today, Jeep is by farthe most important brandin the Chrysler lineup,selling more and more Jeeps every day.The JL is the latest Wrangler,continuing the Jeep linesince its wartime introduction in 1941.And, yeah, it's a lot morecomfortable than its grandpappy,but it's still ready to go anywhere.Like the Willys-Overland would've wanted.Subscribe to Donut,you guys are the onlyreason we make stuff.Click on this littleyellow guy right here.(smooching)Hi, yellow dot!If you like off-roading,check out this episodeof Up To Speed on the Landcruiser.If you don't, check outthis episode on the Ford GT.Want a shirt?Go to shop.donut.media.Follow me on Instagram andTwitter @jamespumphrey.Follow Donut @donutmedia.I love you.