Enlisted: 2026 Jeep Gladiator Willys ’41 Pays Tribute to Military History
Key Points
- Jeep has unveiled the 2026 Gladiator Willys ‘41.
- The Willys ‘41 features olive-drab paint, 33-inch mud tires, and steel front and rear bumpers.
To all of its fans who saw the 2025 Wrangler 4xe Willys ’41 and thought, “It’d be a lot cooler with a bed,” Jeep agrees. (Well, maybe not that it’s cooler, but it’s at least as cool.) Headlining the brand’s pickup truck family for the 2026 model year is the Gladiator Willys ’41.
- ${price_badge()}
- ${ami_badge()}
- ${battery_badge()}${ev_report_link()}
- ${hot_car_badge()}
- ${award_badge()}
- ${cpo_badge()}
${price_badge_description}
${ami_badge_description}
The EV Battery Rating is based on this vehicle's current expected range relative to the vehicles expected range when new. ${battery_badge_text}
This vehicle is certified pre-owned, backed by a manufacturer warranty, and typically undergoes a rigorous multi-point inspection to ensure quality and reliability.
This vehicle is currently in high demand given its competitive price, desirable features, and overall condition, and may have a higher chance of selling quickly.
Shop the 2026 Jeep Gladiator near you
Reboot With a Bed
Jeep says the Gladiator Willys ’41 is inspired by the Jeep Kaiser M715, a military truck based on the first-generation civilian Gladiator. But those trucks didn’t materialize until the 1960s; this special edition is clearly inspired by 2025’s special-edition Wrangler.
Like the Wrangler version, the Gladiator Willys ‘41 wears olive-drab paint and matching 17-inch wheels meant to evoke the steelies on the original 1941 Willys MB, the vehicle that eventually came to be known as the first Jeep. It’s likely just a coincidence, but the 33-inch all-terrain tires on the ’41 bear a passing resemblance to the so-called nondirectional tread rubber fitted to military vehicles back in the day. Also like the Wrangler, the Gladiator Willys ’41 gets tan seats, as well as steel front and rear bumpers — though the Gladiator also has a triple-hoop grille guard protruding from the top.
Read More About the Jeep Gladiator:
- Here Are the 10 Cheapest Pickup Trucks You Can Buy Right Now
- What’s the Best Mid-Size Truck to Drive To and From the Off-Road Park?
- Is the 2025 Jeep Gladiator a Good Pickup Truck? 5 Pros, 3 Cons
- 2024 Jeep Gladiator Review: Minor Updates, But Still a Funky Truck
- Research the Jeep Gladiator
Fighting for Savings
The 2026 Jeep Gladiator Willys ’41’s scooped hood is borrowed from the Mojave trim, but the “Willys ‘41” decal along the sides of the hood hints at the biggest difference between the SUV and pickup versions of this special edition. Whereas the Wrangler was based on the plug-in hybrid 4xe model, the Gladiator Willys ’41 is, like the rest of the Gladiator lineup, powered by an unassisted 3.6-liter V-6 engine. Its 285 horsepower and 260 pounds-feet of torque trail the 2025 Wrangler by 90 hp and 210 pounds-feet, but the Gladiator Willys ’41 is also some $12,000 cheaper than the Wrangler was. At $49,835 (price includes $1,995 destination charge), the Willys ’41 Gladiator costs just $1,715 more than a regular Gladiator Willys. (Jeep charged $4,495 for the same package on the Wrangler.) That’s the sort of freedom we like to see Jeep fighting for.
Related Video:
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
