Kaiser Jeep

Kaiser Jeep was the result of the 1953 merger of Kaiser Motors,
an independent passenger car maker based in Willow Run,
Kaiser Jeep
Michigan, with the Toledo, Ohio-based Willys-Overland
Company.

Willys-Overland had been at one point before World War II the

U.S.'s second-largest car-maker after Ford, but their success waned
during the 1930s. Willys survived during the war, by getting the
primary contract to build the U.S. World War II jeeps for the
American and Allied armed forces. From 1945, Willys focused Formerly Willys Motors
almost exclusively on selling Jeep branded vehicles, both civilian / (1953–63)
commercial, as well as government / military jeeps.
Industry Automotive
For Kaiser, the Jeep brand and its models were considered the Predecessor Kaiser Motors
crown jewels in the merger with Willys-Overland, and in 1955, Willys-Overland
Kaiser phased out all Kaiser and Willys passenger car lines, and Founded 1953
Kaiser (initially still under the name 'Willys Motors') became
entirely focused on Jeep products in most markets. In 1963, the Defunct 1970
company consolidated all corporate holdings under the name of Fate Bought out by
Kaiser Jeep Corporation, discarding the Willys name. American Motors in
1970
Following this, American Motors Corporation (AMC) entered into
Successor Jeep [note 1]
negotiations with Kaiser Jeep, to purchase the company. The deal
was finalized in 1970, and Kaiser Jeep became "Jeep AM General
Corporation," a wholly owned subsidiary of AMC. AMC
Key people Stephen A. Girard,
Jr. (President)[1]
Contents Products Trucks
Automobiles
History Military vehicles
New Kaiser era models Sport utility vehicles
Notes
References

History
Founded by John North Willys, Willys-Overland had been at one point before World War II the U.S.
second-largest car-maker after Ford Motor Company, but their success waned during the 1930s. Willys
benefited from the war production needed, by getting the primary contract to build Willys MB 1 ⁄4 ‑ton jeeps
for the U.S. and Allied armed forces, to the full capacity of their factory. Willys also began almost
immediately to brand the term "Jeep" through advertising, applying to trademark it in 1943, and receiving
the "Jeep" trademark in 1950. From 1945, Willys focused almost exlusively on selling Jeep branded
vehicles, both civilian / commercial, as well as utility and military jeeps for (the U.S.) governments.
While Joseph W. Frazer, earlier a one-time president of Willys-Overland, had left Kaiser-Frazer ca. 1950,
going it alone, Henry J. Kaiser's finances ultimately dictated that he could no longer compete with the
established manufacturers in the U.S. passenger car business, but he saw value in Willys' Jeep line. Kaiser
thus pursued a merger between Kaiser Motors and Willys, which was arranged in 1953, and the assets were
bundled into Kaiser-Willys Corporation. Willys-Overland was renamed Willys Motors at first, and for the
next ten years.

In 1955, Kaiser phased out both the Kaiser and Willys passenger car lines, and shipped the dies to
Argentina where the joint venture with the Argentina Government owned Industrias Kaiser Argentina
(IKA) continued to build cars through 1977 when Renault took over.

New Kaiser era models

Under Kaiser management, Jeep introduced the Forward Control vans, as well as the groundbreaking
Wagoneer, that offered an unprecedented level of comfort and available (luxury) options, combined with
serious off-road capability.

Under the name "Willys Motors", the Jeep-based truck line continued in the United States including the CJ
(Civilian Jeep) Series, all steel Willys Jeep Wagon (station wagon) and Jeep Forward Control FC-150 and
FC-170 models that were introduced in 1957. In 1962, Willys introduced the Jeep Wagoneer as a 1963
model to replace the 1940s-style Jeep station wagons. Designed by industrial designer Brooks Stevens, the
Wagoneer (later known as the Grand Wagoneer) would remain in production with the major architecture
totally unchanged, for two more decades after AMC's 1970 purchase of Jeep – until 1991 – and is often
credited as the first true sport utility vehicle (SUV).
Also, in 1962, The original Jeep Gladiator full-sized
pickup truck was introduced to replace the previous, also Brooks Stevens designed Willys Jeep Truck.[2]

As part of a general push to place all of their corporate holdings under the Kaiser name, in 1963, the
company changed the name of Willys Motors to Kaiser Jeep Corporation.

In 1967, Kaiser Jeep resurrected the Jeepster (in concept; the vehicle was all-new, albeit loosely based on
the Willys Jeepster), which had been produced by Willys-Overland from 1948 to 1950. It was available in
three models (roadster, convertible, and pickup) and proved to be moderately popular (see Jeepster
Commando).

American Motors Corporation (AMC), looking to expand their product line, had on a couple of occasions
entered into negotiations with Kaiser executives with the intent of purchasing the company. The deal was
finalized in 1970, and Kaiser Jeep became "Jeep Corporation," a wholly owned subsidiary of AMC.

Chrysler Corporation in turn acquired AMC in 1987, again (just like in the Kaiser-Willys merger) mainly
for the Jeep brand.

Notes
1. As a wholly owned division of FCA US LLC

References
1. "Stephen A. Girard Jr., 91, Industrialist and Automaker, Dies" (https://www.nytimes.com/200
4/12/13/business/stephen-a-girard-jr-91-industrialist-and-automaker-dies.html). Retrieved
5 January 2021.
 2. 1964 Jeep Gladiator Pickup Truck (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj0JH36ot_s) on
YouTube

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This page was last edited on 14 June 2022, at 02:00 (UTC).

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