A Glance at the Classic Appeal of the Willys and Wagoneer
Ever wonder what really makes a Jeep iconic? Not in the context of what makes the Jeep nameplate itself so coveted, mind you. That’s a given with all the history tied to the 75-year-old brand. It’s more of a question of what makes one model more popular than another over a long period of history?
I recently found myself pondering that idea when photographing a Willys and Grand Wagoneer at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ first Cars and Coffee event, held May 7 at the company’s Auburn Hills headquarters.
Sure, the longstanding appeal of the Willys is pretty much a no-brainer, given that it helped give birth to the Jeep brand. And yet it still was interesting to watch how many 20-years-olds were drawn to the vintage Jeep at the FCA event.
Then again, I guess the same can be said about the Grand Wagoneer to some degree. But let’s not forget, there was a point during the Jeep’s production run when high school teens probably wouldn’t want to be caught dead in the family vehicle.
These days, though, landing a mint condition Grand Wagoneer would be akin to being crowned homecoming king for a lot of 16-year-olds. And given the going price for the SUVs can run up to $69,000, as listed on Wagonmaster.com, it’s clear that the appeal of classic Grand Wagoneers won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
But what other vehicles in the line-up will continue to hold the same kind of value decades down the road? 20 years from now, will the first Wrangler Unlimited have nostalgic appeal? Will the first model year of the much-anticipated Grand Cherokee Trackhawk be considered a collectible in 2040? Or are all the classic Jeep model years behind us?
I guess time will tell. But one thing’s for certain, given the brand’s ever-growing sales numbers, the Jeep nameplate is stronger than ever.
In the meantime, enjoy the gallery below of two Jeeps that have already proven their iconic status.
