Latest news with #Willys
India Today
5 days ago
- Automotive
- India Today
Jeep Wrangler Willys '41 Edition sold out in India within weeks of launch
Jeep India has announced that the Wrangler Willys '41 Special Edition has sold out. This special edition of the Wrangler was launched on May 5, 2025. The Wrangler Willys combined Jeep's 4x4 capabilities with exclusive styling touches. The limited-run SUV, introduced as a tribute to Jeep's rich heritage, witnessed overwhelming enthusiasm. Just 30 units of the Wrangler Willys '41 Special Edition were designated for the Indian Priyesh, Business Head & Director – Automotive Brands at Jeep India, expressed his gratitude, "We are humbled and grateful for the enthusiastic response to the Wrangler Willys Limited Edition. The fact that it is now completely sold out reflects the deep love and trust our customers have in the Jeep brand. We thank our Jeep community for their support and passion, which continues to inspire us to bring them authentic, adventure-ready vehicles that honor our legacy." Drawing inspiration from the original Willys Jeep used during World War II, the Wrangler Willys '41 Special Edition stands out with a unique '1941 Military Green' paint and a distinctive hood decal—both making their debut in India and reserved exclusively for this limited-run the '41 Edition remains unchanged, powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine producing 270hp and 400Nm of torque. It is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and features a full-time 4x4 on the Rubicon variant, this special edition comes equipped with a host of premium and functional additions such as powered side steps, all-weather floor mats, grab handles for both front and rear passengers, and digital video recorders at the front and rear. Buyers can also opt for an adventure pack that includes a roof carrier with integrated side steps and a Sunrider roof. The Willys '41 Special Edition is priced at Rs 1.51 lakh above the standard Rubicon, while the optional adventure pack adds another Rs 4.56 to Auto Today Magazine
Hamilton Spectator
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Father/son team from Ridgeway part of Gassers comeback
They were one of the most popular classes in drag racing in the 1960s before the advent of the Funny Car. They were quick, small and colourful, and could provide unpredictable passes blasting down the quarter mile. The class, known as Gassers, has made a comeback in the past few years, and a part of that comeback is an Ontario-based group known as the True North Gassers. There were two dozen of the cars competing during the Victoria Day Weekend Spectacular on the Cayuga Dragway of Toronto Motorsport Park. The father-and-son duo of John and Aaron Reid from Ridgeway, west of Fort Erie, were one of the teams. The Reids' 1933 Willys-bodied Gasser raced by Aaron runs in the Double-A class with its powerful supercharged engine. Cars employing fuel injection or carburetors compete in the single-A class and are a little slower down the quarter mile. Some of the cars employ a short wheelbase of 100 inches or less, which can make driving them hard to master in cars originally designed for 50 horsepower. Over the weekend, the Cayuga pits included a variety of Willys, obscure Austins, a Henry J. Kaiser and a gaggle of 1955 Chevrolets, complete with straight axles at the front. Although the cars look old school, they feature completely modern safety equipment. Rules allow operation of period-correct items, such as engine parts and wheels, if they pass tech requirements. 'There's no electronics in this car,' said John Reid about his little coupe. 'The injector and wheels are all period pieces from decades ago. Some of the car bodies are old fibreglass bodies, but there are a lot of original steel-bodied cars in our group.' Reid, a retired postal worker, said the Willys develops about 1,200 horsepower, is worth $70,000 (U.S.), and has travelled the eighth mile in 4.8 seconds at 146 m.p.h. 'They can be hard to get down the track,' said Aaron, who at 37 has raced since he was 10. 'It was a struggle in learning how to drive. The learning curve was huge. For us, the suspension setup was tough, but we got the wrinkles out of it.' Now with a race-ready car, the Reids do some tweaking on the car and enjoy their time at the track. The elder Reid organizes the race events, and last weekend's show was the first of six for the True North group in Ontario. They also race in the U.S., and many of the cars at the Cayuga show were from New York state. There is some prize money involved, but for the group the social aspect is important. 'We've got rules and our cars are 100 per cent legal,' said John. 'But we're here to have fun. Winning is more about bragging rights than the money. We want everyone to be safe, stay out of trouble, and put the car back on the trailer at the end of the day.' Weekend winners: Alex Dumas won both opening rounds in the Canadian Superbike Championship, held at Shannonville. Jordan Szoke of Lynden took a second and a third in the races, and Thornbury's Ben Young placed third and second. Taking fourth spot in both events was Hamilton's David MacKay … Last year's World of Outlaws champ, David Gravel of Connecticut, won both A-Mains during the two-race return of the Outlaws at Ohsweken Speedway last week. Dylan Westbrook of Scotland placed third in the second race … Winning the Clarington 200 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the first round in this year's NASCAR Canada series, was Marc-Antonie of Quebec … Also at CTMP, two rounds were held in the Nissan Sentra Cup, and the two races were won by Simon Vincent and Valerie Limoges, both from Quebec … Flamboro Speedway played host to the Canadian Vintage Modifieds Saturday night. Kitchener's Ricky Willigar took the first CVM feature in his 1932 Frontenac, and winning the second feature was Rodney Rutherford of Dundas with his 1940 Hudson … James Friesen of Niagara-on-the-Lake won the 358-Modified feature at Merrittville Speedway Saturday night, while Ridgeway's Gary Lindberg took the Victoria Day 40-lap 358 Modified event.
New Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Scrap art on wheels! Rakesh powering his vintage dreams
ALAPPUZHA: For Rakesh Babu, good things come in small packages. And, this seems to be driving Rakesh's passion for building miniature vintage vehicles from scrap. His scaled-down creations have been capturing the attention of automobile enthusiasts, social media users, and even entrepreneurs. Over the past four years, Rakesh, hailing Kalavamkodam, Cherthala and an employee with Autokast (a public-sector undertaking based in Cherthala), has built over 60 miniature models of vintage vehicles, including cars, jeeps, and vans, each a nostalgic tribute to a bygone era. They are fully functional, fitted with bike engines and auto-rickshaw tyres, and can run 25-30 km to a litre. Rakesh's journey began in 2020 with a deep-rooted passion for mechanics and vintage designs. His first major project was a replica of the iconic Volkswagen Beetle. Using an old Suzuki Samurai bike engine, rickshaw tyres, and a two-wheeler's steering system, he brought the model to life at a cost of just `40,000. The car, designed to seat two and even be used by children, quickly gained attention for its creativity and functionality. 'I sourced parts from scrap dealers who dismantle old vehicles. That made it easier and affordable,' he said. The popularity of his creations soon prompted Rakesh to take a bold step: he took extended leave from his job and set up his own workshop in Kalavamkodam about a year and a half ago. His most admired creation is a miniature replica of the Willys Jeep, a vintage military-style model. 'So far, I've made around 25 Willys. Each costs about `1.3 lakh, including labour and material,' he said. Keeping up with the times, the 32-year-old has started working on battery-powered versions. His electric jeep model, powered by four batteries, can run up to 35 km on a single charge and is designed with small-capacity engine, making it safe for children to operate. The body of the vehicles is made from aluminium sheets and painted professionally, giving them a sleek and polished finish. As his creations went viral on social media, many entrepreneurs approached him to set up joint ventures. However, Rakesh chose independence. 'If I start a joint venture, I'll lose my identity. That's why I decided to continue on my own,' he said. With a humble workshop, a passion for vintage engineering, and an innovative spirit, Rakesh is not just building miniature vehicles, he's crafting dreams on wheels, one masterpiece at a time.
Motor 1
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
The Jeep Wrangler Willys 41 Edition Rules. But There's One Big Catch
It's easy to be cynical about retro special editions, especially when so many automakers offer them—and so many of them are lazily put together. Off-road SUVs are an especially easy target for a few stickers and an upcharge, like the Ford Bronco, Toyota 4Runner, and of course, the ubiquitous Jeep Wrangler. Jeep has been doing retro special editions longer than most, leaning hard into its military roots. So many of them are unremarkable, but if they're done right, a military-inspired modern Jeep can be a pretty sweet idea. The new Wrangler Willys 41 Edition certainly isn't perfect, but as far as special editions go, it gets closer than most. Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Beyond a bunch of Willys logos slapped onto the fender, Jeep added special paint, new wheels, custom badges, and a few touches to the interior that help this special edition Wrangler feel, well, more special. The military-inspired olive drab exterior comes shockingly close to the original Willys scheme (at least, in photos). Willys / 4xe decals in a period-correct Drab Blue line either side of the hood, while there's a second 4xe badge on the back end, as well as a 4 Wheel Drive logo. The decals on the hood are meant to mimic the mandatory stenciling found on the hoods of Willys MBs during World War II. A neat touch. The matte black accent on the hood offsets the olive drab paint (and helps curb reflections while out on the trail), with a '41 logo displayed prominently in the bottom left corner. That '41, in case you don't know, is a nod to the year 1941, when the United States Army officially commissioned a fleet of 1,500 Willys-Overland Jeeps for military use. Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 The new Wrangler Willys 41 Edition certainly isn't perfect, but as far as special editions go, it gets closer than most. The wheels are excellent . The five-spoke, 17-inch shoes come shod in the same olive drab paint as the rest of the body, and they do a decent impression of the Willys' original steelies. They're wrapped in 33-inch all-terrain tires and feature a neat little Willys silhouette logo in the center caps. The interior continues the throwback theme with tan cloth seats, a subtle olive drab fabric dashboard design, and a '41 logo on the shifter. Buyers can still choose from a few different roof options, both hard- and soft-tops, with an available tan soft-top option—the correct choice. This particular model, though, keeps it simple with a monotone metal roof. Pop open the tailgate and there's a fun little easter egg on the interior panel: An etched plaque with the "JL '41" and "Willys / 4xe" monikers, a side-by-side sketch of the original Willys with the current Wrangler, and an American flag with homage to Jeep's Auburn Hills, Michigan, headquarters where this vehicle was developed. Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Under the hood is Jeep's 4xe powertrain with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors delivering 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. Love it or hate it, the 4xe powertrain is at least powerful—though, we certainly wouldn't mind the 392's Hemi V-8 instead. The big problem with this Wrangler—the problem with so many special edition off-roaders—is how much it costs. The base Wrangler Unlimited 4xe starts at $52,590 with destination, while the 41 Package is a cool $9,235 on top of that, and adding the black and heritage tan interior is an extra $3,995. That brings the total price to a whopping $73,095. Not exactly a bargain for a Wrangler with some cool wheels and heritage paint. Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 But for all the so-called special editions out there, this one at least feels somewhat special. Jeep's military roots aren't just cosplay; the custom touches on this Wrangler come straight from the history books and make sense on a modern Jeep. If you're a fan of that heritage and have a whole hell of a lot of money to spend, you could certainly do worse than the Wrangler Willys 41 Edition. More From Jeep It's a Jeep Thing. I Finally Understand 2025 Jeep Wagoneer Overland Edition Is the One You Want Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Mint
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
Jeep pays tribute to WWII heritage with limited-run Wrangler Willys ‘41 Edition launched in India ₹73.16 lakh
Jeep India has introduced a limited-run variant of its iconic off-roader, the Wrangler Willys '41 Special Edition, paying homage to the brand's rich military lineage. Priced at ₹ 73.16 lakh (ex-showroom), the exclusive model is limited to just 30 units for the Indian market, making it a highly coveted offering for enthusiasts and collectors alike. Inspired by the legendary Willys MB that served a pivotal role during World War II, the Willys '41 is a tribute to Jeep's origins. The special edition stands out with its unique '41 Green' paintwork, a colour reminiscent of the original olive drab shade worn by the wartime Jeep. A bold '1941' decal on the bonnet further reinforces its historical significance, marking the year the first Willys MB rolled off the production line. Buyers can also opt for standard Wrangler colours such as white, black, red, and grey. Based on the top-spec Rubicon trim, the Willys '41 retains the rugged silhouette of the Wrangler while adding distinctive touches, including powered side steps, bespoke grab handles in the cabin, and all-weather floor mats to enhance practicality. Inside, the SUV carries forward the utilitarian yet comfortable ethos of the Wrangler, equipped with a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system paired with a fully digital instrument cluster. Premium features such as 12-way power-adjustable front seats, an Alpine-sourced sound system, wireless smartphone integration, automatic climate control, and a suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) come as standard. Front and rear dashcams have also been added to bolster convenience and safety. For adventure seekers, Jeep is offering an optional accessories package priced at ₹ 4.56 lakh. This pack includes a Sunrider rooftop, a side ladder, and a roof carrier, enhancing both the vehicle's aesthetic appeal and its utility for extended expeditions. Under the bonnet, the Willys '41 Special Edition remains mechanically unchanged. It continues to be powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine producing 270hp and 400Nm of torque. Paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox and Jeep's full-time four-wheel-drive system, the SUV retains its renowned off-road prowess. With its blend of heritage-inspired design, modern technology, and trail-ready capability, the Jeep Wrangler Willys '41 Special Edition stands as a unique offering for those looking to own a piece of Jeep's storied past. First Published: 5 May 2025, 05:44 PM IST
