A World War II-era Jeep is a regular fixture in vintage videos and TV shows, and this example auctioned in the UK by Iconic Auctioneers has made significant on-screen appearances.
According to the current owner, TLO Film Services, this 1944 Willys Jeep was featured in the 1998 film “Saving Private Ryan,” as well as the HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers,” either of which covers the D-Day invasion of Europe. He also appeared in “Pennyworth,” a television show that tells the origin story of Batman’s butler.
1944 Willys Jeep
The original military Jeep was designed by American Bantam, but production passed to Ford and Willys-Overland, as American Bantam deemed it too small to make cars in sufficient quantities. Ford and Willys each changed the design in their own way, with Willys installing their “Go Devil” inline four-cylinder engine.
In addition to producing military Jeeps for the war effort, Willys registered the Jeep trademark for civilian use. After the end of the war, it began producing CJ models for the civilian market, forming the basis of today’s Jeep brand. Ford would return to four-wheel-drive cars in the 1960s with the Bronco.
Jeep Willys 1944
Willys and its successor companies continued to build updated versions of the Jeep well into the Cold War era, until the small SUV was replaced by the Humvee, which in turn morphed into a civilian Hummer. Many of the original World War II Jeeps also remained in military service in other countries for decades, inspiring many copies along the way.
All of this means that an original Jeep is rare. So, despite its celebrity status, this Jeep is expected to sell for between £18,000 and £22,000 alone. That’s about $22,000 to $27,000 at the existing exchange rate, which is less than the base value of a 2024 Jeep Wrangler.