Jeep

About Jeep

Jeep has a long history of producing SUVs and vehicles that can handle challenging off-roading expeditions. Midway through the 1940s, the company unveiled the CJ, the first Jeep designed for everyday use. It had conveniences, including a spare tire, tailgate, and an external fuel cap, and was created with farmers and construction workers in mind. The CJ-3B and CJ-5, which were military-style SUVs inspired by the vehicles built during the Korean War, were added to Jeep’s inventory. For 30 years after its debut, the CJ-5 was designed.

In the 1960s, the Wagoneer SUV made its debut. It had an automatic gearbox and introduced Jeep to families. In 1984, the Cherokee small SUV was released by the now-defunct American Motors Corporation, which had bought Jeep a decade earlier. Two years later, the Comanche pickup made its premiere. When Chrysler took over AMC in 1987, the year the Wrangler model replaced the CJ series, Jeep changed its name to Jeep/Eagle, a branch of the firm that specialized in non-automobile-related products. The Grand Cherokee was the first Jeep product with a Chrysler logo, and it debuted for the 1993 model year. Even after over 30 years, it remains one of Jeep’s finest product lines, but success wasn’t always straightforward.

When Chrysler and the German company Daimler-Benz AG combined in 1998 to become DaimlerChrysler AG, Eagle was dropped, and Jeep was left alone. After several errors, the partnership failed in 2007, and the Chrysler Group was sold to a private equity company. Jeep, though, was left to concentrate on its own identity. At the same time, the firm, on the verge of bankruptcy during the 2009 financial crisis, rebuilt itself and accepted a $8 billion government bailout. The firm was acquired by Italian carmaker Fiat in 2012, and in 2014, it changed its name to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

Despite front-wheel drive flops like the Jeep Liberty over the several transitions, Jeep has managed to be one of FCA’s most lucrative divisions. Jeep’s flagship models, the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee, helped the company maintain its reputation as a tough, lifestyle-focused brand. The Grand Cherokee remains the most popular midsized SUV today, and the Wrangler’s capabilities are still unrivaled. Thanks to Fiat, Jeep can now provide customers an inexpensive entry point into the prized brand with models like the Renegade. And in 2020, the Gladiator pickup debuted, filling the void left by the Comanche’s discontinuation.