The Birth of the Jeep Name

THE BIRTH OF THE JEEP NAME: AN INCREDIBLE COMBINATION OF CIRCUMSTANCES

2021-02-12

In June 1940, when war raged in Europe and Nazi Germany was preparing to attack France, the American army, which was not yet at war (the events of Pearl Harbor wouldn’t take place until December 1941), informed automakers that it was looking for a "light reconnaissance vehicle" to replace the motorcycle and modified Ford Model Ts it was using at the time. The military invited 135 manufacturers to bid on production and provided them with a long list of criteria that the submitted models had to meet.

For example, the vehicle had to have a payload capacity of 600 pounds, a wheelbase of less than 75 inches, a height of less than 36 inches, a rectangular format, a two-speed transfer case, a folding windshield, four-wheel traction, three bucket seats, and they couldn’t weigh more than 1,300 pounds.

At first, two companies answered the call: Willys-Overland and American Bantam. They were then joined by Ford and it is between these three automakers that the battle took place.

Each company produced prototypes in record time. Bantam’s chief engineer took just 49 days to complete a first model.

Willys-Overland's vice president of engineering, Delmar G. Roos, designed the Willys Quad. Each firm delivered their prototype to the military in the summer of 1940 and received approval to build 70 vehicles for further testing.

The Army took possession of the completed models in November 1940. Each of the three models exceeded the prescribed weight limit and the Army subsequently removed the unrealistic criteria.

Willys MA/MB

Through modifications and improvements, the Willys Quad became the MA and then the MB. But the military, and the whole world, came to know it as the Jeep. There are many theories about the origin of the name Jeep.

The most recognized says the name comes from the letters "GP", the military abbreviation for "General Purpose". However, some claim that the vehicle was named after a popular character named "Eugene The Jeep" from the Popeye comics. Whatever its origin, the name has gone down in legend and for some time even served to define any vehicle capable of venturing off the beaten track.

Willys registered the name "Jeep" after the war and had a goal of making it an all-terrain utility vehicle for farm work. One of Willys’s slogans at the time was "The sun never sets on the mighty Jeep." Today, the Willys name lives on with Jeep paying tribute to the brand’s beginnings through numerous Willys editions of its models.

Jeep_® is a complex story that began in the most inhospitable environments and the harshest conditions. Today, Jeep represents the precise balance between capability and comfort, versatility and pleasure.

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Estimated payments based on "Net Amount", which represents the "Starting At" price (which includes freight (from $2,095 to $2,795), federal A/C, and Green Levy and Luxury Tax surcharges (as applicable)). Net Amount does not include sales tax, insurance, registration, license, retailer administration fees, new tire duties (in Quebec), or lien registration fees (up to $75.75, including registering agent fees, where applicable, and which are due at signing). Your dealer may charge a Luxury Tax surcharge on vehicles priced over $100,000 under the Government of Canada's Select Luxury Items Tax Act. The actual value of the Luxury Tax surcharge will be calculated based on the vehicle's final negotiated selling price (before applicable taxes), and will represent the lesser of: (i) 10% of the vehicle's selling price; or (ii) 20% of the final negotiated selling price that exceeds the $100,000 threshold. Please see your dealer or visit the Government of Canada's website for further details. Estimated payments are calculated based on the difference between the residual value and the Net Amount, plus any lease finance charges. Estimated payments will vary depending on down payment/trade. On approved credit on eligible retail deliveries. Low lease kilometre limit as low as 12,000 km/year for Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram, FIAT® and Alfa Romeo vehicles. Charge of $0.16 - $0.20 per excess kilometre will be applied to Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, FIAT vehicles, plus applicable taxes at lease termination. Charge of $0.20 - $0.30 per excess kilometer plus applicable taxes will be charged at lease termination for Alfa vehicles. The APR is the effective interest rate which includes the Consumer Cash which lower rate financing customers forego as a cost of borrowing. For further offer details, click here.

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The Birth of the Jeep Name | Jeep Canada