"Second generation (1987–1996)
The Jeep YJ, sold as the Wrangler, replaced the much-loved but slower-selling Jeep CJ in 1987. It was a new design with a longer wheelbase, less ground clearance, and more comfort, and some of its inspiration came from its stablemate, the Jeep Cherokee, rather than from its CJ predecessor alone (this prompted some Jeep purists to interpret the YJ as a "yuppie Jeep" upon the model's introduction). The YJ also had a leaf spring suspension similar to that of the CJ. 632,231 YJs were built through model year 1995. The YJ was replaced in 1996 by 1997's TJ. YJs are easily identifiable by their rectangular headlights.
The YJ used a 2.5 L AMC I4 or optional 4.2 L AMC I6 until 1991. That year, a fuel injected 180 hp (134 kW) 4.0 L variant replaced the 112 hp (84 kW) 4.2 L straight-6.
The roll cage was extended in 1992 to allow for rear shoulder belts, and anti-lock brakes were added as an option the next year. An automatic transmission option for 4-cylinder Wranglers came in 1994 along with a center high-mounted stop light.
On August 5, 1987, American Motors was bought by Chrysler, and the Jeep marque became a part of Chrysler's Jeep/Eagle division.
"The first jeep prototype (the Bantam BRC) was built for the Department of the Army by American Bantam in Butler, Pennsylvania, followed by two other competing prototypes produced by Ford and Willys-Overland. The American Bantam Car Company actually built and designed the vehicle that first met the Army's criteria, but its engine did not meet the Army's torque requirements. Plus, the Army felt that the company was too small to supply the number needed and it allowed Willys and Ford to make second attempts on their designs after seeing Bantam's vehicle in action. Some people believe that Ford and Willys also had access to Bantam's technical paperwork.
Quantities (1,500) of each of the three models were then extensively field tested. During the bidding process for 16,000 "jeeps," Willys-Overland offered the lowest bid and won the initial contract. Willys thus designed what would become the standardized jeep, designating it a model MB military vehicle and building it at their plant in Toledo, Ohio.
Like American Bantam, Willys-Overland was a small company and, likewise, the military was concerned about their ability to produce large quantities of jeeps. The military was also concerned that Willys-Overland had only one manufacturing facility: something that would make the supply of jeeps more susceptible to sabotage or production stoppages.
Based on these two concerns, the U.S. government required that jeeps also be built by the Ford Motor Company, who designated the vehicle as model GPW (G = governmental vehicle, P showed the wheelbase, and W = the Willys design). Willys and Ford, under the direction of Charles E. Sorensen (Vice-President of Ford during World War II), produced more than 600,000 jeeps. Besides just being a "truck" the jeep was used for many other purposes.
The jeep was widely copied around the world, including in France by Hotchkiss et Cie (after 1954, Hotchkiss manufactured Jeeps under licence from Willys). There were several versions created, including a railway jeep and an amphibious jeep. As part of the war effort, Jeeps were also supplied to the Soviet Red Army during World War II.During the jeep's service in Korea the name was referred to as "Just Enough Essential Parts" by the troops due to the very basic design.
In the United States military, the jeep has been supplanted by a number of vehicles (e.g. Ford's M151 MUTT) of which the latest is the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or "Humvee")." Wikipedia
The Wrangler (also known as the YJ and TJ, as explained below) is a mini
SUV from
Jeep, a division of
DaimlerChrysler. It is a successor to the famous World War II GP vehicle by way of the 'Willy's' Jeep in the 1950s and later by the Jeep CJ series. The Wrangler YJ debuted in 1987, the TJ in 1997, and the JK in 2007.
The Wrangler is produced at Jeep's Toledo South Assembly plant in Toledo, Ohio
