A World War II-era Jeep is a common prop in period movies and television shows, and this example heading to auction in the U.K. with Iconic Auctioneers has made some prominent onscreen appearances.
According to current owner TLO Film Services, this 1944 Willys Jeep has appeared in the 1998 film "Saving Private Ryan," as well as the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers," both of which cover the D-Day invasion of Europe during World War II. It was also in "Pennyworth," a television show telling the origin story of Batman's butler.
1944 Willys Jeep from
The original military Jeep was designed by American Bantam, but production was handed to Ford and Willys-Overland, as American Bantam was deemed too small to build the vehicles in sufficient numbers. Ford and Willys each modified the design in their own ways, with Willys installing its "Go Devil" inline-4 engine.
In addition to producing military Jeeps for the war effort, Willys trademarked the Jeep name for civilian use. After the war ended, it began producing CJ models for the civilian market, forming the basis for today's Jeep brand. Ford would return to four-wheel-drive vehicles in the 1960s with the Bronco.
1944 Willys Jeep from
Willys and its successor companies continued building updated versions of the Jeep well into the Cold War era until the little off-roader was replaced by the Humvee, which in turn morphed into the civilian Hummer. Many of the original World War II-era Jeeps also remained in military service with other countries for decades—inspiring many copies along the way.
All of this means an original Jeep isn't especially rare. So despite its celebrity status, this Jeep is expected to sell for just 18,000 to 22,000 British pounds. That's about $22,000 to $27,000 at current exchange rates—less than the base price of a 2024 Jeep Wrangler.
