Prototype in 49 days
The Willys is considered the forefather of all contemporary all-terrain automobiles, SUVs and even Jeeps. The automobile was produced at the beginning of World War II when the US military high command announced a competitive tender for the construction of a universal, light and inexpensive four-wheel drive automobile. Only 3 of 135 auto manufacturers in the US participated in the competition due to the complexity of the criteria, which some manufacturers found impossible, for example, delivery of a completed prototype in 49 days.