first jeep

The first Jeep was the Willys MB, born in 1941 for the U.S. Army’s “go anywhere” brief—and it did, with square shoulders and a steel chin to match.

American Bantam sketched the original concept, Willys-Overland won the production race, and Ford’s GPW helped churn them out by the tens of thousands.

The name “Jeep”? Likely GI slang that stuck like mud to canvas, though the etymology debates could fuel a pub chat for hours.

After the war, the idea went civilian as the CJ-2A, essentially the same trusty mule with number plates.

It set the template for every boxy, capable 4x4 that followed—simple, rugged, and allergic to fashion.