| Most early motor vehicles had a basic set up with | | | | for its on and off road ability and its durability. |
| the engine mounted in the front with a gearbox | | | | After the war the potential within the civilian market |
| attached to it driving the rear wheels only and this | | | | for jeeps was clearly apparent and Willys filed for the |
| became the normal design of most vehicles for many | | | | trademark registration of the name Jeep and began |
| years. As design progressed engine position and | | | | production for the public sector. The first models |
| transmission (gearbox) position was experimented | | | | named Civillian Jeeps (CJ) began production in 1945 |
| with to help with traction and handling. Rear engine | | | | and the name Jeep became an icon of tough go |
| and mid-engine vehicles became available as did front | | | | anywhere vehicles soon to become a legend to |
| and all wheel drive. Four wheel drive vehicles began | | | | future four wheel drive owners. The history of the |
| life early in the twentieth century and a number of | | | | Jeep and production models are as follows: |
| companies had their own designs for supplying off | | | | 1945 - 1949 CJ-2A |
| road trucks for business and commercial use. The | | | | 1946 - 1953 CJ-3A |
| importance of having load carrying vehicles that could | | | | 1947 - 1965 Willys Jeep Truck |
| transverese harsh terrain was important due to the | | | | 1948 - 1950 Willys Jeepster |
| lack of roads. Both the British and American armies | | | | 1952 - 1968 CJ-3B |
| during World War One had four wheel drive trucks | | | | 1954 - 1983 CJ-5 |
| for heavy terrain use for carrying troops and | | | | 1955 - 1981 CJ-6 |
| equipment. However the need for a true multi | | | | 1976 - 1986 CJ-7 |
| purpose on and off road vehicle became apparent. | | | | 1981 - 1986 CJ-8 |
| With the onset of World War Two the need for off | | | | 1953 Kaiser buys Willys Overland. |
| road vehicles that could literally drive over any terrain | | | | 1970 American Motors Corporation AMC takes over |
| became a necessity of the military and with any | | | | Kaiser-Jeep. |
| technology war tends to drive designs forward | | | | 1987 Chrysler Corporation buys American Motors |
| quickly. In the early days of the war the United | | | | Corporation. |
| States Military required a light-weight four wheel drive | | | | 1998 Daimler-Benz merges with Chrysler Corporation. |
| vehicle that could transverese almost any terrain. A | | | | The modern day Chrysler Jeep has many models and |
| number of companies came forward with designs | | | | incorporates all the benefits of modern technology |
| including Bantam, Ford and Willys. The result of this | | | | and comfort but it has tried to retain some of the |
| was the world famous Willys Jeep. The jeep proved | | | | old willys features as the front grill shows. |
| to be both very rugged and dependable through out | | | | Back in the United Kingdom the Land Rover project |
| the war and by the close it had become well known | | | | was first born and the legend began. |