The first Jeep was built in 1941, designed to operate in various places on various missions, hence its iconic claim, “Go Anywhere, Do Anything”.

The first 4×4 car in history was called Willys and it was the first-ever mass-produced off-road vehicle. In 1949, Jeep invented the first Sport Utility Vehicle, the Willys Wagon. The SUV then turned luxury in 1963 with the Wagoneer, the first to use automatic transmission and independent front wheel suspension.

Recently, the development of extremely advanced mechanical solutions and electronics has set new standards of handling and on-the-road driving comfort.

Today, four-wheel drive is integrated with latest-generation safety and driver assist systems, and in the very near future we will see the electrification of Jeep Compass and Jeep Renegade: an epochal milestone for 4×4 vehicles.

The plug-in hybrid SUVs will improve Jeep’s legendary off-road performance. The rear axle traction will no longer be provided by a drive shaft, but by a dedicated electric motor. The new system is more powerful and precise when accelerating or driving off-road.

Tests and trials have been conducted on the most difficult surfaces and in extreme climatic conditions: snow and ice in Arjeplog, Sweden, and in deserts like Upington in South Africa.

Jeep is however not the only FCA brand with an impressive 4×4 tradition. In 1983, Fiat created the Panda – the smallest 4×4 and making the four-wheel-drive truly democratic. It has a manually selectable four-wheel drive, a 965 cm3 46 HP engine, a reinforced body and an ultra-low first gear; an authentic, unstoppable, small off-road vehicle.

Four-wheel driving were incorporated by Alfa Romeo, too. The advantages of four-wheel drive optimises on-road performance, in all weather and road surface conditions. Giulia and Stelvio employ refined systems, offsprings of a top-down approach, achieved by adopting technology designed for the Quadrifoglio, a towering peak of Alfa Romeo design.

According to Jeep traction plays a hugely important role in Alfa Romeo’s unparalleled driving pleasures: the Q4 technology is designed to manage the vehicle’s thrust in a reactive and predictive manner, thus guaranteeing the highest levels of performance, efficiency and safety.

Long and the short – 4×4 technology started with a Jeep.

Source:Jeep