For most who enjoy our sport “history of the 4x4" calls to mind the Jeep’s WWII development, the preferred safari vehicle, the Land Rover, and the current spate of SUVs. However, the full history goes further back and is far more complex and interesting. The following is some of the information I jotted down from The History Channel’s fascinating hour long presentation May 6, 2004 on the history of the 4x4.
The first automobile roads were no more than narrow wagon trails, deeply rutted, often muddy, through rough country. The early autos low on power with 2 wheel drive and rolling on thin tires mounted on fragile axles were often a stop and go ride requiring a push from their drivers and passengers or a pull with a horse, especially up any grade. Four wheel drive was recognized as a need. There was much intrigue with the automobile and many people were experimenting with designs. Thus, the Duprex Power Company produced a 2cylinder 14 horsepower model that was the first 4x4 automobile to be marketed. This was as early as 1889. Our hobby/sport, therefore has its beginnings more than a century ago! Other models followed. In 1908 a steam powered 4x4 chugged down American roadways. In the same year the first integrated, steerable axle came out. This innovation paved the way for the development of the venerable Battleship distributed by the Badger 4x4 Company. Its squarish appearance could have been an early foreshadowing of the later body design of the Willy’s. Just as now, 4x4 capability was expensive, more than double the cost of a two wheel drive auto. Most people found it cheaper to be pulled out than to pay for the 4x4.Walter Owens and his partner Wise took over the Badger 4x4 Company renaming it the 4WD company which became the FWD Company. They developed the Battleship into a very capable machine. In 1910 they offered a $1000 prize to anyone who could follow the car for 15 minutes. Many tried, but none succeeded in winning that grand prize. However, only seven vehicles were produced. If any are existing today, I imagine it is worth a Sheik’s fortune.

The market for trucks, in contrast to the automobile, was burgeoning. The military was interested in the potential uses of a four wheel drive truck, as the world was becoming more mechanized. The military promoted a 1500 mile cross country rally in 1911 to evaluate whether motorized vehicles could replace horses. There was need for better horsepower, but the race stirred competition among the designers. Five years later in 1916 the army bought 4WD trucks from the FWD Company to respond to Pancho villa’s raids across the Border with Mexico. The Army had determined that this would be an entirely motorized campaign. This was the first actual use of vehicles in an active Army campaign although motorcycles had been used as scout vehicles and for some personnel transportation in WWI and trucks were used on bases for freight.

The depression slowed vehicle development between WWI and WWII which also hampered the military’s drive to motorize. Trucks were useful for transport but as Europe drew nearer to World War what was needed was a lightweight, agile scout vehicle to compete with the German built Kuklewagon based on the volkswagon.and to replace the motorcycle. The first effort to meet this need was aptly named “The Belly Flopper”. With no suspension, a top speed of 28MPH and room for only two men on their bellies, this model flopped.


The American Bantom Company who manufactured an American version of the British Austin 7 developed a lightweight vehicle for military consideration. In conjunction with the Army it was refined into a 1/4 ton reconnaissance 4 WD vehicle. Bids went out to 150 companies. Willy’s Oberlon won the bid, but they were unwilling or perhaps unable to meet the 49 day deadline for production so the bid went to Bantom who had doubts they could produce in the numbers needed as well as Willy’s could. Ultimately Willy’s shared the contract with Ford who was more able to meet production needs. The vehicle was initially called the Willy’s NB, but it went through a large number of name possibilities, including Blitz Buggy, finally it was christened Jeep possibly after a then popular cartoon character who could go anywhere.
One month after Jeep was put into production the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Initially the soldiers were not sure about this compact, squared off vehicle, but soon developed a love affair that continues to this day, as they learned its far ranging capabilities. Like the horse, it became the soldier’s friend. It was first put to the test in the arduous Burma China theater where roads were few and treacherous. It starred there as a tough, practical, indestructible vehicle. Dignitaries, visiting royalty and movie stars chose to ride in Jeeps increasing public attention.

After the war Willy’s capitalized on the Jeeps cachet. The CJ (civilian Jeep)2A was the first Jeep produced for the public. It could be outfitted with a large number of attachments to facilitate a farmer’s labor. Such as plows, harrows, augers, etc. The CJ, as well as Jeep trucks became immensely popular with Agrarian America. A properly equipped Jeep was effective ranch or farm transportation and eased the countryman's labors. It was an effctive replacement for horse and wagon. American families, however, wanted something more spacious. In 1946 an all steel 2WD station wagon met the need. Within three years 4WD was added and the modern SUV was born. America had an all purpose car.

Four Wheel Drive was not limited to the American side of the Atlantic, however. The Wills Brother of the Rover car company of Britain had owned a Jeep and enjoyed playing with it in sand dunes and other challenging situations. They decided to build one of their own and used an existing Jeep chassis as the base. It was named the Land Rover. By July 1948 a hundred per week rolled off production lines. Like the CJ, it was aimed at farmers and with its power takeoff to run machinery became the farmer’s best friend even more than had the CJ It was embraced by the fire departments, police, military and explorers as well. It was robust, simple, easy to repair, and, with an aluminum body, rust free. A Series 2 model with more comfort features appealed to women drivers as well. The Land Rover had a stouter chassis and suspension than Jeep and was a more effortless car. Jeep, however, had more power. Land Rover was first imported to the USA in 1949.Owners formed clubs and Land Rover offered driving instruction, increasing popular interest.

The post war affluence of the 1950s produced a larger leisure class and there was more interest in the recreational use of 4WD vehicles. This interest burgeoned in the 1960s. Fans came together into clubs to participate in organized trail runs. It was an affordable, family friendly recreation that allowed access to nature.

Responding to this interest, International Harvester introduced the Scout, a more spacious vehicle than Jeep and more affordable than the Land Rover. In 1965 Ford introduced the Bronco which was more comfortable and more car like than the Scout. Not to be outdone, Land Rover produced the Range Rover and Jeep came out with the Cherokee. These were all more comfortable, car like, larger and more versatile 4x4s. Now a family could have a family wagon that could also go just about anywhere for recreational and work use.

As the popularity of these vehicles increased drivers began to test their vehicles capability and themselves on challenging trails. This soon led owners to become designers themselves as they increasingly modified their vehicles to achieve better performance under specific conditions. This trend, of course, continues today. One of early challenges of both vehicle and driver performance was the Baja Run. This began as a very informal race with no prizes or judges. It was just interested drivers challenging themselves in difficult terrain where they soon developed innovative modifications and driving strategies. However, in 1967 the trail was a 1000 miles of bad road that attracted some of the racing greats such as Perrelli. It was described as a twelve hour adrenalin rush. This race has now grown to more than 2000 entrants and stretches 2000 miles from Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas. But the real challenger is the Paris to Dakar Race of 6000 miles over unsigned open country with no roads covering some of the most hostile and barren of landscape in the desert and the mountains over a period of 23 days.

Of course, not everyone is interested in speed. The Rock Crawlers are looking for low gearing and slow crawl speeds to climb nearly vertical rock ledges and water falls, where no vehicle is supposed to go–and doesn’t without some serious modifications.

The 1980's and 1990's have seen a veritable explosion in the SUV and 4x4 market with dozens upon dozens of models to choose from. Their buyers are not so much interested in recreation, however, as in status and owning something different. They are aimed at the suburban driver. Nonetheless, these too are put to recreational off highway use in clubs and jamborees.

The venerable Jeep developed in 1941 continues with a strong market, but the military felt it was showing its age and searched for a replacement. In 1979 contracting with AMC they came out with a High mobility Wheeled Vehicle or the Hum Vee. This is the most versatile vehicle in the world to date. It's capable of traveling on water as well as land, able to survive a land mine while protecting its occupants and can pretty much go whereever its driver wants. It made its debut in Panama but made its reputation in the Gulf War. Despite its starting price of $75000 the off road public was intrigued and AMC couldn’t keep them on lots. There is now a civilian model available at a lower but still very pricey cost. Not long after that first 4x4 produced in 1889 the military became a driving force in 4x4 development, but recreational users have more recently driven the market despite the fact that the vast majority of SUVs sold today will never leave the pavement.

The History Channel presentation was only an hour long. It would take a whole series of shows to encompass the full history, especially the more recent history of 4x4 vehicles and off roading. Such a series would cover not only the vehicles, but the modifications, and , of course, the changes in Jeep models since Jeeps inception. It would also cover the discovery, preservation, and development and popularization of some of the famous and infamous 4x4 trails. There seems to be much greater depth to our sport than appears on first blush. With every run we make and every modification developed, and every trail opened we continue in that progress of history.