Jeep

The civilian Jeep began with the CJ-2A of 1945, and the CJ (Civilian Jeep) line reached the CJ-5 for the 1955 model year, after Kaiser had bought Willys. It was based on the Korean War-era M38A1, and 603,303 were built before it ended in 1983. American Motors bought Kaiser Jeep in 1970 and gave the CJ its own straight-six and V8 engines from 1972. In 1976 AMC stretched the wheelbase to make the CJ-7, which became the definitive square-door CJ.

The CJ-7 and the long-wheelbase CJ-8 Scrambler gave way in 1986 to the Wrangler YJ, which AMC had designed to be more comfortable on the road. The Wrangler then moved to coil springs with the TJ and its long-wheelbase Unlimited (LJ), to four doors with the JK Unlimited, and on to today's JL and JL Unlimited, which is also offered as the 4xe plug-in hybrid and the V8 392.

The boxy Jeeps weren't all open-topped. The full-size Wagoneer of 1963 became the Grand Wagoneer, a wood-sided V8 wagon built until 1991. In 1984 the unibody Cherokee XJ arrived, and from 1987 it carried the 4.0-liter version of AMC's straight six. Both have their own pages here, as does every Wrangler. Their old rivals are here too: the FJ40 and the Series Land Rover.