Willys

Introduced in 1952, the Willys Aero was the first passenger car built by Willys-Overland after the company had made its name with the wartime Jeep. Offered in versions ranging from the basic Aero-Lark to the better-equipped Aero-Eagle, the model combined modern styling with Willys’ reliable six-cylinder engines. Light and efficient, the Aero delivered decent performance and fuel economy, but struggled to compete with the sheer scale of Detroit’s “Big Three.” U.S. production ended in 1955, only three years after its debut. The story did not end there: in Brazil, the Aero was built under license from 1960 until 1971, giving the car a much longer life abroad than in its home country.