Jeep History - 1963-1991 JEEP WAGONEER (SJ)

Jeep History - 1963-1991 JEEP WAGONEER (SJ)

In 1962, Jeep introduced the Wagoneer. Replacing the Willys utility wagon lines, the Wagoneer was designed to provide passenger-car styles and comforts with the advantages of 4WD.

The Wagoneer was filled with industry firsts: the first automatic transmission in a 4x4 vehicle; the first overhead-cam six-cylinder truck engine, the first 4x4 vehicle with an independent front suspension; the first automatic full-time 4x4 system. The Quadra-Trac 4x4 system, introduced in 1973, was available in full-size Jeep trucks and wagons, and later in the CJ-7.

Styled by the famed industrial designer Brooks Steven, the Wagoneer captured the public imagination with its modern styling and good looks. The entire line of “Senior” (SJ) vehicles included the Gladiator and J-Series Trucks, Wagoneer Station Wagons, Panel Deliveries, and early Cherokee models.

The SJ line was in production for more than 28 years with only minor technical changes and when production ended it was the longest continuous automotive production run, on the same platform, in U.S. automotive history.

The Wagoneer was renamed the Grand Wagoneer in 1984 to coincide with the introduction of the downsized Wagoneer and Cherokee (XJ) models.

16th Apr 2024

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