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The Wrangler (also called YJ or TJ) is a small off-road vehicle from Jeep. It is a successor to the famous World War II GP vehicle by way of the Jeep CJ series. The Wrangler debuted in 1986, was updated in 1997, and is still popular today.
YJ
The Jeep YJ, sold as the Wrangler, replaced the much-loved but slower-selling Jeep CJ in 1986. It was a new design with a longer wheelbase, less ground clearance, and more comfort, and was based on the Jeep Cherokee more than it's CJ predecessor. 632,231 YJs were built before it was replaced in 1997. The YJ used a 2.5 L AMC Inline-4 until 1989, when a 4.0 L Straight-6 version was introduced; the old 4.2 L Straight-6 was available as an option. YJ's are easily identifiable by their square headlights.
On August 5, 1987, American Motors was bought by Chrysler, and the Jeep marque became a part of Chrysler's Jeep/Eagle division.
TJ
The YJ gave way to the Jeep TJ for the 1997 model year. This updated Wrangler featured a coil-spring suspension (based on that in the Jeep Grand Cherokee for better ride and handling. The engine was the same 4.0 L AMC Straight-6 used in the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee.
The Wrangler Rubicon (named for the famed Rubicon Trail offroad test circuit) was introduced in 2003. It features special locking axles, 4:1 low-range transfer case, and other offroad-oriented features. In 2004, Jeep introduced the Wrangler Unlimited with an 18 inch (46 cm) longer wheelbase.