Jeep is owned by Chrysler, and started in 1941 as “Willys’” (army jeeps). In 1945 they made the first Jeeps for civilians. Jeep is the oldest off-road vehicle and SUV brand. Jeep became the primary vehicle for travel in WWII. Their ‘off road’ capabilities made them an excellent choice for the military. This was proven in 1941 when a jeep was driven up the stairs to the Capitol building. The name Jeep is not derived from a specific thing or person, but rather speculation of a number of things. One suggestion is that soldiers were so impressed with its performance, that they named the vehicle after Eugene the Jeep, a Popeye cartoon character. The most popular myth is that soldiers called it Government purposes, or General Purposes (“GP” for short, hence Jeep.) In June 1950, the name Jeep became a registered trademark.

Jeep has always emphasized their off road capabilities. As Jeeps became more available, they became more famous and in demand. Knock offs (imitations) of Jeeps have been made in other countries. Because there is more room between the chassis and axle, larger tires are able to be placed on Jeeps. This enables them to have higher ground clearance, and still have traction.

Willys was sold to Kaiser Motors in 1953. In 1963 they renamed as Kaiser Jeep. The company sold to American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1970. Chrysler then bought AMC in 1987, thus owning Jeep.