Jeep…what does that word mean to you? When you hear it do you think rugged, solid vehicle? Because that is what Jeep has made its name on for a long time. You would be hard pressed to drive and not see a Jeep somewhere on the road. How much do you know about Jeep’s history? Well, let’s recap the great history of Jeep for those of you who may not know about it.
The Name “Jeep”
Jeep, now that is a funny word. There are many stories on how that word arrived, but one is actually correct. The Jeep vehicle used to have a “GP” on the side of it. That stood for general purpose. So when said together “GP” just naturally turned into Jeep. Other stories have it linked to the Popeye comics. Saying it was modeled after Eugene the Jeep, which was a dog who could walk through walls, climb trees and fly. Roads that are often only suited for off road vehicles are called “jeep trails.” So there are many ways a name like this could have come about.
Jeep in the Beginning
The first jeep prototype was actually built for the Department of the Army, and built in Pennsylvania. Although the Army felt like the design did not accommodate its growing needs. Because of production concerns, the Ford Motor Company was granted permission to build them. The Army designated them the exclusive makers of the automobile. Copies of the Jeep began to pop up in other countries. But lately the military has decided to use the Hummer instead of the original Jeep.
Current Jeeps
Jeep is now owned by Daimler Chrysler. After many different owners, Jeep has settled in with Chrysler ever since 1987. As shortly after that buy out took place, the Jeep Wrangler was introduced. Jeep was also one of the first brands of cars manufactured in Beijing, China. An updated version of the Jeep Cherokee was what they began to build in the new plant in China. Cherokee is a very popular model currently; because of it’s off road capabilities. Yet, it is not an extremely large vehicle, which is something more people have started to care about lately.
So the Jeep history is not as over storied as other car models have been. But Jeep has the distinction of being one of the original military vehicles, before Hummer. Jeep was used a lot, and was very important. But now days, Jeep focuses its efforts on non-military consumers. So you are able to get a quality car that would pass for the military without having to buy a tank. So you can see why Jeep continues to be very popular, and you cannot go out on the roads without seeing one. If you like off road vehicles, but do not want to buy a giant rig, then a Jeep is right up your alley. If you have never seen a Jeep, then you are in for a treat when you finally step into one. If the Army wanted thousands of them for its fleet, why wouldn’t you want one for your family fleet?
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