Willys Jeep

One of the most familiar military vehicles of all time, the little Jeep started life as a US Government request for a General Purpose, quarter-ton, utility vehicle in the early stages of the Second World War.

Initially two manufacturers agreed to provide designs, the American Bantam Company and Willys-Overland. American Bantam – which as American Austin had manufactured the British Austin Seven in the USA - was in bankruptcy, but called in designer Karl Probst who produced plans for the BRC (Bantam Reconnaissance Car) in two days. Apart from the engine, considered too low powered, his design was accepted by the US military.
Willys-Overland, and also Ford, were then asked to present their ideas based on the BRC, the overall ‘winner’ of this contest being Willys-Overland’s MA. With a ‘Go Devil’ four-cylinder, 2.2-litre, engine and Spicer four-wheel-drive this became the model MB or ‘Quad’. All three manufacturers were given contracts to enter mass production, with some 640,000 being made during the conflict.

Why Jeep? No one seems to know for sure how the name came about. It could be a play on the ‘GP’ designation, or named after the character called ‘Eugene the jeep’ in the Popeye stories. Willys registered the name in 1943.