Willys (pronounced /ˈwɪlɪs/, "Willis"[2])[5][1] was a brand name used by Willys–Overland Motors, an American automobile company, founded by John North Willys. It was best known for its design and production of World War II–era military jeeps (MBs), Willys M38 and M38A1 military jeeps as well as civilian versions (Jeep CJs), and branding the 'jeep' military slang-word into the '(Universal)Jeep' marque.
^ abThe Blade, 2 February 2002. "'Italked to many people, now deceased, including his private secretary, and all said emphatically that he pronounced it "Willis"', said Ron Szymanski, local Jeep historian.[6] 'I can attest to the fact that Willys' relatives all say "Willis".' – However, Mr. Szymanski acknowledged that many Jeep workers pronounce the name 'Willies'."
^This is the pronunciation used by the company owner and founder, as opposed to "Willy's" or "Willies" /ˈwɪliːz/, although many people pronounce(d) it that way, and Mr. Willys "was probably the type who'd say: 'I don't care how you pronounce it as long as you buy my cars.'"[1]
^ "J. N. Willys pronounced his name 'Willis', local Jeep historian says". Toledo Blade. The Blade. 2 February 2002. Retrieved 10 July 2021. In 1952, as Willys-Overland Motors was preparing for the 50th anniversary of the first Overland cars, The [Toledo] Blade declared: 'It's "Willis."' – A number of reporters and editors at the time had known Mr. Willys personally.
^"12 facts you probably didn't know about Jeep history". The Manufacturer (UK). 8 December 2015. p. 6. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
^In 1952, the Toledo Blade newspaper got to the bottom of the story and concluded it was "Willis".[3][4]
^P. Findlay (writer, director) (2006). Man and Jeep (1-hour TV documentary (runtime 44:31 min)). Barna-Alper Productions. Discovery Times. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) "Ron Szymanski, Jeep Historian (on-screen credit)", from time 11:05
Willys (pronounced /ˈwɪlɪs/, "Willis") was a brand name used by Willys–Overland Motors, an American automobile company, founded by John North Willys. It...
The Willys MB and the Ford GPW, both formally called the U.S. Army Truck, 1⁄4‑ton, 4×4, Command Reconnaissance, commonly known as the Willys Jeep, Jeep...
Bantam Car Company and Willys-Overland. The Army set a seemingly impossible deadline of 49 days to supply a working prototype. Willys asked for more time...
CJ-6 models. It was also used in the Willys 473 and 475 pickups, wagons, and sedan deliveries. It replaced the Willys Go Devil engine that was used in the...
The Willys Aero was a line of passenger cars manufactured first by Willys-Overland and later by Kaiser-Willys Corporation from 1952 through 1955 in the...
Willys 77 was an American car first sold in 1933 by Willys-Overland from Toledo. It was a successor to the Willys Whippet. In the same year, Willys-Overland...
John North Willys (/ˈwɪlɪs/; October 25, 1873 – August 26, 1935) was an American automotive pioneer and diplomat. His company, Willys-Overland Motors,...
The Willys L134 (nicknamed Go Devil) is a straight-4 flathead automobile engine that was made famous in the Willys MB and Ford GPW Jeep produced during...
through 1986. The 1945 Willys "Universal Jeep" was the world's first mass-produced civilian four-wheel drive car. In 1944, Willys-Overland, the primary...
The Willys Americar was a line of automobiles produced by Willys-Overland Motors from 1937 to 1942, either as a sedan, coupe, station wagon or pickup truck...
The Lightning was a Willys straight-6 engine produced in the 1940s and 1950s. It was used in the Willys Jeep Station Wagon and other Jeep-based vehicles...
based in Willow Run, Michigan, with the Toledo, Ohio-based Willys-Overland Company. Willys-Overland had been at one point before World War II the U.S...
The Willys Jeep Truck is a truck made by Willys-Overland Motors from 1947 to 1965. The styling and engineering of the Jeep Truck was based on Willys' existing...
light utility vehicle made by Willys between 1949 and 1952. It replaced (in production), and succeeded the World War II Willys MB and Ford GPW models, with...
The Willys Jeep Station Wagon, Jeep Utility Wagon and Jeep Panel Delivery are automobiles produced by Willys and Kaiser Jeep in the United States from...
surname often alternatively given as "Willys"), son and heir of Inner Temple barrister and landowner Richard Willys, of Fen Ditton and Horningsey, Cambridgeshire...
1953, Kaiser merged with Willys-Overland to form Willys Motors Incorporated, moving its production operations to the Willys plant at Toledo, Ohio, where...
Wil (German pronunciation: [viːl]) is the capital of the Wahlkreis (constituency) of Wil in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Wil is the third largest...
Willys Overland Crossley was a company jointly owned by Crossley Motors and Willys-Overland. They had factories in Stockport, England; Berlin, Germany;...
The Willys FAMAE Corvo was a prototype off-road multipurpose vehicle intended for use with the Chilean Armed Forces. Its chassis was from a Willys MB and...
28, 1982), better known as Willy Will, is an American Grammy award nominated record producer from Louisville, Kentucky. Willy Will began his career working...
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