Progress report: Jeep Wrangler vs Willys M38A1

Oh wow. Does that thing even have doors?

Well spotted. It seems that while the fundamental mechanicals of an off-roader haven’t changed much over the years – rugged looks, grippy tyres, four-wheel drive – some things most definitely have.

The car you’re looking at here is the Willys M38A1, not quite the original Willys that you’ll have seen bouncing around in World War Two documentaries, but not far off. The M38A1 (let’s just call it a Jeep from now on) was built from 1952 to 1971 by Willys and saw extensive service with the US military in Korea and Vietnam. It also got sold to quite a few friendly foreign nations, which is the version you see here.

Technically, this is a Nekaf edition that was built under licence in Holland and, because it was used as an economic stimulus package after the ravages of the war, had quite a few home-grown parts. It was so successful that the Dutch kept using it for over 40 years, well past when both it - and its successor - were meant to have retired. How’s that for reliability.

I assume it must be good at what it does.

Oh yes. With a versatile body – they were turned into everything from ambulances to mobile platforms for 106mm recoilless rifles – and the sort of go-anywhere ability that military types tend to like, the Jeep is still, even by today’s standards, a mighty capable machine.

It’s got a four-cylinder, 2.2-litre petrol engine (dubbed the Hurricane) pushing out 72bhp, and is either two or four-wheel drive depending on which particular lever has been manhandled across the gate. There’s also a low-range 'box and thanks to the relatively skinny tyres and lightweight body (it only weighs 1,225kg), it’ll pretty much go anywhere.

The engine is surprisingly powerful and, on tarmac, the car is good for about 50mph. It feels like it may go even faster, but self-preservation and the threat of the canvas roof folding itself into this year’s prize winning entry in the origami competition mean you’re either brave or a loon to try it. Plus, it has leaf springs all round. These may be good at doing what the Dutch army needed them to do, but they are most certainly not good at comfort. The Jeep makes a Land Rover Defender feel like a Rolls-Royce.

Are there any creature comforts on board?

There’s a glovebox. Oh, and windscreen wipers. But they’re vacuum operated off the engine, so quite frequently you’re better off just wiping the outside of the ‘screen with your hand. See - it’s handy not having doors.

And that’s it.

Presumably, then, the Wrangler is luxurious in comparison?

Definitely. For starters, there’s even a heater. Plus leather seats, Alpine audio with subwoofer, DAB, sat nav – you get the picture. But despite the differences in age and civilian/military usage, you can definitely trace the lineage between these two. And it’s not just in the shape of the grille: the Wrangler is one of the few modern off-roaders that still majors on being able to do the muddy stuff.

There’s a low-range 'box, again accessed by a satisfyingly mechanical lever, and a 2.0-litre 268bhp petrol engine with an eight-speed auto, all housed within a ladder frame chassis with solid axles. That’s right – no fancy monocoque here.

Plus, much like the older Jeep, you can take the roof panels off to convert it into a more open-air experience with a heap of extra ventilation. Very COVID-friendly.

Is it as good off-road as the original?

If this particular model was on the right tyres, most definitely. This isn’t the most hardcore version – that’s the Rubicon – but it still has most of the kit that’s necessary for whatever the UK throws at it. Where Jeep has been clever with the new one is making it slightly more civilised while still staying (mostly) true to its roots.

Sure, there are the odd little Easter eggs dotted around to remind you of the heritage, including a start-up screen that begins with an illustration of the original Willys morphing into the current Wrangler, but it doesn’t feel like a parody to nod towards that heritage. With its live axles and slightly crude engine, there are certainly more civilised ways of getting around the country, but changing those would have meant abandoning the Jeep philosophy, stretching back even further than this M38A1. Bravo to Jeep for sticking to its guns.

Photography: Rowan Horncastle