Jeep is an American automobile marque introduced in 1943 and now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Since 1945, it has been headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, when Willys-Overland launched the first CJ or Civilian Jeep branded models. Prior to 1940 the term "jeep" had been used as U.S. Army slang for new recruits or vehicles, but the World War II "jeep" that went into production in 1941 specifically tied the name to this light military 4x4, arguably making them the oldest four-wheel drive mass-production vehicles now known as SUVs.