In 1962, the Jeep Brand introduced the Wagoneer—the father of all luxury 4×4 SUVs. Replacing the Willys utility wagon lines, the Wagoneer was designed to provide passenger-car styling, comfort, and convenience with the advantages of four-wheel drive (4WD).
The revolutionary Wagoneer was filled with innovation and industry firsts: the first automatic transmission in a 4×4 vehicle; the first overhead-cam six-cylinder truck engine, the first 4×4 vehicle with an independent front suspension; the first automatic full-time 4×4 system. The revolutionary Quadra-Trac 4×4 system, introduced in 1973, was available in full-size Jeep Brand trucks and wagons, and later in the CJ-7.
Powered by a Willys Tornado 230 cubic inch (3.8L) 140 hp 6-cylinder engine mated with a 3-speed manual transmission.
Styled by the famed industrial designer Brooks Steven, the Wagoneer captured the public imagination with its modern styling and good looks.
The SJ line was in production for more than 28 years with only minor technical changes and when production ended–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.
