History
Willys-Overland Aero Eagle
The Willys Aero represented a bold departure for the company famous for Jeeps, targeting the compact car market with sophisticated engineering. Unit-body construction reduced weight while improving rigidity, and the streamlined styling was genuinely aerodynamic with a low drag coefficient. The F-head six-cylinder engine provided peppy performance with excellent fuel economy. Despite engineering excellence, Willys lacked the marketing resources to compete against the Big Three, and the Aero never achieved commercial success. Production moved to Brazil in 1955 where it continued for decades.