Ford GPW Jeep: When Rivals Came Together for an Important Cause

By Brett Foote - January 15, 2026

When the U.S. military called on automakers for help, the Willys MB was joined by the Ford GPW in a rare joint effort.

Today, World War II is but a distant memory, if not one well-documented in TV shows, books, movies, and other formats. Most that fought in WWII are no longer around to tell those tales, but it was a time when allies and rivals came together to quite literally save the world, and luckily, they managed to pull that off. The automotive industry was no exception, and it was all hands on deck to churn out the military equipment needed to fight Nazi Germany – including the Ford GPW, which was actually created by Willys.

In this video from Jay Leno, we take a look back at the fascinating history of this Ford GPW Jeep of sorts, based on the Willys MB. Willys couldn’t quite build these Jeeps fast enough for the military’s needs, so Ford jumped in to help – and ultimately built a whopping 280,000 of them, or nearly half of the total produced between 1941 and 1945. Ford and Willys worked hand-in-hand in this effort, a rare display of rivals coming together in that manner.

In fact, Ford and Willys engineered their Jeeps to have completely interchangeable parts, a crucial logistical advantage. The concept for the vehicle that would eventually evolve into the civilian Jeep CJ began when the U.S. Army set out to find a company that could supply it with a light, go-anywhere, four-wheel drive utility vehicle to replace its aging fleet. At first, American Bantam Car Company and Willys-Overland Motors were chosen, after which Ford came into play when more units were needed.

Ultimately, these Jeeps were used by every branch of the U.S. military, proving to be unstoppable in all sorts of conditions. They were used for a wide array of purposes, too – reconnaissance, towing giant guns, laying cables, saw milling, firefighting pumpers, field ambulances, tractors, and even railway vessels, when properly equipped. As such, Leno is happy to declare it “the greatest vehicle ever made.”

These days, the vintage military Jeeps are coveted collectibles, and many wound up being used and disposed of over the years – meaning there aren’t quite as many left in existence as there used to be. However, if you can find one, they’re still a heck of a lot of fun – not to mention truly capable and simple workhorses, no matter who built them.