Our Story
01 / About the Company
American
Bantam®
Born in Pennsylvania, USA. Built on a legacy no other brand can claim.
American Bantam invented the Jeep. American Bantam is building again.
Who We Are
The Company
Behind the Jeep
A heritage story unlike any other competitor in the automotive industry.
American Bantam® Car Company was founded in 1935 with a heritage story unlike any other competitor in the automotive industry. In 1940, American Bantam built the first Jeep – a prototype that changed the outcome of World War II.
Decades later, the American Bantam name and trademark have been revived with one clear mission: build rugged, American-assembled trucks and off-road vehicles right here in the USA. American steel. American workers. No asterisks.
We are not chasing a trend. We are a registered U.S. corporation, the rightful holder of the American Bantam® trademark, and the direct continuation of a manufacturing legacy that dates to 1935. The mission is simple: build off-road vehicles, SUVs and trucks that work, built by Americans, American Steel, at a price Americans can afford.
Leadership
The Man
Building It
Charles D. Paglee is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Bantam® Car Corp. His founding vision is direct and non-negotiable: if an American company puts the word “American” in its name, the trucks it sells in the United States must be built in the United States.
Under his leadership, American Bantam is reestablishing itself as an active U.S. manufacturer – with the trademark, the heritage, and the operational roadmap to back it up. The vehicle lineup, the American assembly focus, and the commitment to American steel all trace directly to his personal conviction that American manufacturing can and must be revived.
American Bantam’s approach to the business is the same as his approach to building off-road vehicles and trucks: no filler, no shortcuts, no asterisks. The mission is clear. The work is underway.
What We Stand For
Built on Three
Simple Truths
Assembled in America
American steel. American jobs. American assembly. Every vehicle that carries the American Bantam® name sold in the USA will be built right here in the USA – not as a marketing line, but as the operating model.
Right To Repair
Your Truck. Your Wrench. American Bantam vehicles are engineered to be repaired by the people who own them. No software locks. Zero parts-pairing on non-safety parts. No dealer-only diagnostics. No paywalled service manuals. American Bantam built the first Jeep for soldiers, not subscriptions.
An American Original
No other brand can claim what American Bantam® can. We invented the Jeep in 1940. We earned the heritage. Now we’re building on it – honestly, with receipts.
Our Heritage
September 23, 1940.
The day the Jeep was born.
In 49 days, American Bantam built a prototype that changed the course of World War II. The world gave the credit to Willys. We remember who built the first one.
Reserve Your American Bantam®
Born in Pennsylvania, USA. Secure your place in American manufacturing history.