The Ford GPW is a 1945 American-made military off-road vehicle from the World War II era. It is equipped with a 2.2-liter, four-cylinder, side-valve gasoline engine producing 60 hp—commonly known as a “jeep.”
Due to the high volume of wartime orders, a second manufacturer was required. Ford was awarded the contract and provided with the technical documentation from Willys, free of charge, on the condition that production be reserved exclusively for the U.S. government. The Ford GPW differed from the original Willys design only in minor details; parts for both vehicles were interchangeable. The primary—though subtle—difference was the design of the chassis crossmember located behind the radiator guard.
In total, 639,245 units of this standard-model jeep were produced: 361,349 Willys MBs and 277,896 Ford GPWs. The initial Willys model cost 739 dollars.
This vehicle was used extensively by all Allied forces during the war and was subsequently adopted by civilian users in many countries.
