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What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “Jeep?” For me, it’s the image of someone who has never actually been off-roading driving down the highway with a sandaled foot propped up on the door, a Dave Matthews Band Fire Dancer decal on their bumper, and a smiley face cover on their spare tire. I also envision them honking wildly at any other Jeep they encounter on the road because it’s a Jeep thing (you wouldn’t understand).
The Jeep 4×4 (which you probably know better as the Wrangler) has come a long way since it first rolled off the assembly line in 1940 as the United States prepared for WWII, and this video from Donut Media tracks all the ways it’s changed in the last 80 years or so. Even if you’re not super into automobiles, it’s still a fascination evolution to watch.
The video is filled with a wide variety of facts, but these are some of my favorites:
-During WWI, a Jeep was awarded a Purple Heart and sent back to the United States from the Pacific theater.
-A rollbar wasn’t introduced until the mid-1960s.
-The first model to have a door was made in 1972, more than 30 years after the first Jeep was produced.
-Ronald Reagan was the proud owner of a Jeep.
-Jeep owners are required to attach a tiny American flag to their antenna (I made that up, but based on my experience it’s not that farfetched).
If you are a car guy, there are also plenty of specs I’m sure you’ll be able to appreciate so much more than I did.