Since 1941 . . .
Depending on who you ask—and when—Jeep’s Wrangler either stands as a pansy poseur off-roader that spelled the classic CJ line’s demise in the mid-1980s, or it's the icon of the Jeep brand. There is some truth to both assessments, but in reality the Wrangler is simply another member of the lineage that started when the first so-called Jeep vehicles, which were built by entities as varied as Ford and Willys, and bounced the Allies to victory across war-torn Europe and the Pacific islands in the 1940s. The Jeep was a perfect addition to America’s war arsenal, and when the conflict ended, it found a place as a useful addition to farmers’ tractor arsenals, before eventually becoming an addition to regular folks’ style arsenals. The Wrangler, in particular, translated the CJ line’s incredible brand power and capability into a more street-friendly package, and today carries the torch as Jeep’s most Jeep-like model. This is how it happened.
Willys MB (1941–1945)
As this photo aptly demonstrates, the original Willys played a key role in World War II. That's General Dwight D. Eisenhower, future President of the United States, sitting in the Jeep’s passenger seat at the Italian front in 1944. You cannot begin to discuss the Wrangler—or the Jeep brand, for that matter—without first outlining the original Willys Jeep, the foundation upon which the entire Jeep world was built. Arriving 46 years before the Wrangler, the Willys laid the groundwork for both the future Jeep 4x4 and the Jeep brand overall as a symbol of American ingenuity, manufacturing might, and as the plucky and endearing little vehicle that helped the good guys win the second world war.
Willys MB (1941–1945)
After the war, Willys trademarks the Jeep name and reconfigures the vehicle for civilian use. These early Jeeps begin the CJ ("Civilian Jeep") line of 4x4s, and initially are sold as alternatives to tractors, complete with a variety of power take-off accessories, plows, even onboard welders.
CJ series (1945–1985)
The CJ line kicks off in 1945 with the CJ-2A, eventually evolving in size and comfort until the CJ-7 and longer-wheelbase CJ-8 are the final two variants in 1985. Initially powered by the same 60-hp “Go-Devil” four-cylinder engine as the wartime MB, the CJ line eventually would come to adopt six- and even eight-cylinder engine options. Fans of obscure factoids take note: The CJ-2A marks the first appearance of Jeep’s iconic seven-slot grille. (The military Jeep featured nine grille slots.)
CJ series (1945–1985)
Later CJ iterations include the CJ-3A, the CJ-5 (introduced in 1954), the longer-wheelbase CJ-6 (introduced in 1955), and the CJ-7 (introduced in 1976). Technically, a single CJ-4 was built, but it generally isn’t included in the CJ lineage. In 1981, Jeep launched the long-wheelbase (yet still two-door) CJ-8 Scrambler, a small pickup based on the CJ. The somewhat awkward CJ-6, pictured here, neatly previews the two-door Wrangler Unlimited sold between 2004 and 2006.
CJ series (1945–1985)
Throughout the CJ’s nearly 40-year production run (which included Willys’ sale to Kaiser and, later, American Motors Corporation), Jeep’s image hardens as a purveyor of tough, capable off-roaders. This image becomes far more popular in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, as Americans smitten by 4x4s begin adopting them as everyday vehicles. It is the CJ’s success, and the fondness of Jeep customers towards it, that put great pressure on the team tasked with designing the first Wrangler.
So, remind us again, why did Jeep kill the CJ?
In a foretelling of the sort of rabble-rousing Jeep fans raise every time a new Jeep comes along—even today—news of Jeep’s plans to axe the long-serving CJ for something more modern is practically deemed un-American in the early 1980s. So what compelled Jeep to do it? After the second oil crisis in 1979, Americans increasingly turned to lighter, more efficient 4x4s. Jeep’s lineup was old and thirsty, its offerings relatively large. (Keep in mind, the J-series pickup is, at this time, still on sale—having originally hit the scene in 1963.) Enter the XJ-generation Cherokee, introduced in 1983 with a light-weight unitized body, a more sophisticated four-link suspension design, and much-improved fuel economy. The Cherokee’s runaway success cements the CJ’s fate. AMC is going forward with a lighter-weight yet still open-wheel 4x4 design for the CJ’s replacement, no matter the naysayers.
1987: Jeep Wrangler “YJ” launches (1987–1995)
AMC’s lighter, better-driving replacement for the aging CJ becomes the Wrangler, code-named “YJ.” It uses carryover engines from the CJ and some borrowed bits from the Cherokee and from AMC partner Renault’s parts bin. The Dana axles come from the CJ, but are leaf-sprung as opposed to coil-sprung, as they are on the Cherokee. It is unmistakably a Jeep, with its open bodywork and seven-slat grille, but the square headlights prove less endearing than previous Jeeps’ round peepers—as even Jeep acknowledges. On the history page of the brand’s website, it says: “The Wrangler YJ had square headlights, which was a first (and last) for this type of Jeep vehicle.” Ouch.
1987: Jeep Wrangler “YJ” launches (1987–1995)
The Wrangler name was simply one of several on an internal list sent around to Jeep’s marketing, design, and executive staff for consideration. It was the most popular by far. Before officially affixing the Wrangler name its new 4x4, Jeep first gets an OK from Goodyear—which sells a line of Wrangler all-terrain tires—to use the Wrangler name, too. But nobody at Jeep thinks to ask Wrangler jeans for the same permmission, kicking off a lawsuit that would last several years but curiously doesn’t stop the Wrangler’s launch and use of the name. (The lawsuit would be dropped after a later owner of Wrangler jeans found it frivolous.) The Wrangler comes to market in the summer of 1986 as a 1987 model riding on—you guessed it—Goodyear Wrangler tires. Buyers can choose from a base model, mid-level Laredo, or top-spec Sahara, with either a 117-hp 2.5-liter fuel-injected four-cylinder or a 114-hp carbureted 4.2-liter inline-six. The six is down on horsepower compared to the four, but it produces 210 lb-ft of torque to the smaller engine’s 135 lb-ft. The suspension and body improvements make it a much better over-the-road partner without sacrificing off-road capability, but we find it's still a pretty rough ride in our 1990 review of a Sahara model.
1987: AMC is sold to Chrysler, Jeep is the dowry
Its car division long on the ropes and deep in debt, the American Motors Corporation is bought by Chrysler for $1.5 billion months after the Wrangler goes on sale. Chrysler’s purchase, in essence, soaks up Renault’s 46-percent stake in AMC and nets the U.S. automaker—then just a few years out of its first bankruptcy—Jeep, the crown jewel in the excrement heap that AMC and Renault’s U.S. lineup had become. Around the same time, Jeep transfers Wrangler production from Brampton, Ontario, to Toledo after clearing out the old CJ tooling.
1991: A new six-cylinder engine and a Renegade
For the 1991 model year, Jeep trades the Wrangler’s AMC-sourced 4.2-liter inline-six for a different AMC-sourced inline-six, a fuel-injected 4.0-liter. Output jumps to 180 horsepower, and torque rises to 220 lb-ft. The same year, Jeep also reveals the Wrangler Renegade, a curious aside in Wrangler history. It came with body-color fender extensions and special faired-in bodywork to wrap around 9.5-inch-wide Goodyear Wrangler tires in an effort to appear sporty. The Renegade would last until 1994, fading out one year after Jeep kills the Islander.
1993: Stop, anti-lock, and listen!
Catching up with the times, almost, Jeep first offers anti-lock brakes to Wrangler customers in 1993.
1994: Don’t stop three-speedin’
One year after its anti-lock brake revelation, Jeep introduces another Wrangler first: An optional automatic transmission on four-cylinder models. It’s still the same ancient Chrysler three-speed unit carried over from the CJ, but hey, it counts.
1995: The sun begins to set on the YJ
Production of the Wrangler continues in earnest even as the YJ model is set to be replaced by the newer TJ in 1996. There is no ’96 Wrangler, technically, but Jeep continues to build and produce the YJ through that year. A Rio Grande trim package is introduced for ’95, and is available only on base Wrangler S models.
1997: Jeep Wrangler “TJ” (1997–2006)
The second-generation Wrangler arrives with two key advancements: A return to Jeep-appropriate round headlights, and the adoption of the XJ Cherokee’s coil-spring suspension. Every body panel save for the doors and tailgate is new, and the body itself enjoys a 100-percent increase in torsional stiffness. The frame, too, is 15 percent stiffer, for an overall increase of around 33 percent. Switching to coil springs not only enhances the Wrangler’s ride quality, but it nets the off-roader a massive 7-inch increase in suspension articulation for both its front and rear solid axles. The YJ’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder and optional 4.0-liter inline-six engines carry over.
1997: Jeep Wrangler “TJ” (1997–2006)
Jeep’s $280-million redesign focuses on expanding the Wrangler’s appeal with greater on-road comfort, as well as more options. A pair of airbags come packed into the steering wheel and dashboard, and the drag coefficient is lowered from—believe it or not—the soft-top YJ’s 0.65 to 0.58 on the soft-top TJ. (For comparison, the new Toyota Prius cuts through the air with a 0.27 drag coefficient.) Although slightly more modern in appearance, the TJ retained manual steering on the base SE model—the Sport and Sahara variants had standard power steering—and the optional automatic transmission remained a three-speed.
2003: A semi-modern automatic joins the Wrangler party
The TJ Wrangler soldiers through 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 with almost no changes of note. Finally in 2003, Jeep adds a gear to the Wrangler’s optional automatic transmission, dragging the gearbox into the 21st century. That same year, the 2.5-liter AMC four-cylinder engine is dropped in favor of Chrysler’s more modern 2.4-liter four.
2004: Meet TJ-L, otherwise known as the Wrangler Unlimited
Those who fondly remembered Jeep’s CJ-8 Scrambler surely would be taken by the similarly shaped 2004 Wrangler Unlimited. With a wheelbase 10 inches longer than the regular TJ Wrangler’s, the Unlimited (codenamed TJ-L) wears the same sheetmetal from the B-pillar forward, but a longer aft section houses a roomier back seat and a bigger cargo area. In fact, rear seat legroom only increases by less than two inches, while the cargo area is 13 inches longer. Additional sound deadening and the longer wheelbase help imbue the Unlimited with slightly more refinement (barely, as we find in our review), and ups its tow rating to 3500 pounds from just 2000. The 190-hp 4.0-liter inline-six is standard along with a four-speed automatic transmission; a six-speed manual would be offered in 2005.
2003: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon model introduced
Of far greater note in 2003, Jeep introduces the Wrangler Rubicon, a new trim level geared toward hard-core off-roaders. The Rubicon comes standard with locking front and rear differentials, a 4:1 low-range gear ratio, four-wheel disc brakes, and 31-inch all-terrain tires.
2004.5: The Unlimited is Rubicon'd
Late in 2004, in what Jeep refers to as the "2004.5" model year, the TJ-L adds the Rubicon trim level.
2007: The third-generation Wrangler is bigger and badder than ever (2007–)
The third-generation Wrangler “JK” arrives. Compared to its TJ predecessor, the two-door JK measures 5.4 inches wider and its wheelbase increases by two inches, although overall length is clipped by three inches. For the first time, a four-door Wrangler is offered, using the same Unlimited moniker applied to the long-wheelbase TJ, and it's certifiably big. At its launch, we describe the JK’s size increase as being the result of “ever-stricter standards for safety, emissions, and economy.” In hindsight, the Jeep’s size increase also appears to have been guided by the popularity of ever-more-gigantic SUVs in the mid-2000s. (Remember, the vehicle’s gestation took place during a time when Hummer seemed like a viable brand.) The JK is released mere months before gas prices skyrocket, and about a year before the U.S. economy crashes. Nonetheless, the bigger Jeep proves every bit as popular as the TJ it replaces, even with its standard (and thirsty) six-cylinder engine.
2007: The third-generation Wrangler is bigger and badder than ever (2007–)
In the otherwise modern Wrangler JK's one nod to tradition, it uses a woefully ancient engine sourced from elsewhere. Replacing the old AMC 4.0-liter inline-six is a pushrod 3.8-liter V-6 that first saw the light of day in 1991 in Chrysler’s minivans. Loaded with 200 extra pounds of Wrangler and saddled with a four-speed automatic (the standard six-speed manual remains our choice), the new/old V-6 manages to crack the 20-mpg mark on the highway, but only just. As we find in our original review, it's still better off-pavement than on it. Classic Wrangler features such as the fold-down windshield, removable doors, and roll bar are retained. For the first time, the windshield glass is subtly curved to give air smacking it a somewhat smoother escape.
2012: Pentastar power!
Five model years after the JK goes on sale, Jeep yanks the old-timey 3.8-liter V-6 and fits in its stead Chrysler's latest corporate V-6, the Pentastar. This marks the first engine ever that’s of its time at the time of its fitment in the Wrangler. Output jumps substantially to 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Another first? The Wrangler equipped with the Pentastar could almost be described as quick. At the same time, the engine is given a newer five-speed automatic in place of the 3.8’s four-speed, while the standard choice remains a six-speed manual. Fuel economy rises by 1 mpg all around. This improvement also marks the last big update to the JK before we see the all-new fourth-generation Wrangler in 2017.
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