2005 Jeep TJ Unlimited
The Jeep name originated from the creation of a military vehicle for World War I. Back then, it was called a general-purpose vehicle or "G.P." and over time was phonetically slurred into Jeep. The word Jeep, it seems, was also used by shop mechanics when referring to a new motor vehicle that they would receive for a test. Obviously, the name still stands today. The first prototypes were built by American Bantam in 1941 but the company that got the contract during those hard times was Willys-Overland. Interestingly, Ford actually built a few Jeeps to meet demand during the course of WWII. American Motors owned the name for the duration of the 1970s, then Renault took over and, eventually, Daimler-Chrysler. The word became synonymous with wagon style trucks and to this day, many people still call SUVs Jeeps. I have driven many SUVs over the years but, this time, I got to test the one that started it all, well, almost. The tested TJ Unlimited, with the extended wheelbase, retails for 32 025$.