Wait, Mitsubishi Made a Jeep?
Photo: Mitsupicture via CC
The Jeep became the world’s first mass-produced 4×4 civilian vehicle after WWII ended. A handful of manufacturers were given licenses to produce Jeeps, including Mitsubishi.
4×4 Mitsubishi: Learn more about the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander
In 1953, Mitsubishi started to manufacture and market the vehicle as the Jeep J3, competing against the now-well-known Toyota Land Cruiser and the Nissan Patrol. If that’s not surprising enough, these off-road vehicles were produced by Mitsubishi for 45 years. The Mitsubishi Jeeps were built with short, medium, and long wheelbases. Drivers had their choice of a gasoline or diesel engine, with the gas-powered 2.2-liter four-cylinder pumping out just 69 horsepower and the diesel churning out even less.
Photo: Tennen-Gas via CC
Between 1953 and 1998, Mitsubishi sent approximately 200,000 of these Jeeps off the assembly line where they were sold in a chain of Japanese stores called “Galant Shop.” Unfortunately, Mitsubishi had to stop producing the Jeeps due to stricter emissions and safety standards in Japan. However, Willys also loaned the Jeep design to Indian company Mihindra in 1947, and that company is still producing a variant of the original vehicle today.
The fact that these simple Jeeps were produced for so long illustrates the very spirit of Jeeps; they’re simple, durable 4×4 vehicles. They got us through WWII, so they had a bit of an impressive track record. Did you know the old Willys Jeeps were also produced by Mitsubishi? Let us know in the comments!
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.