Jeep’s New Special Gladiator Recalls One of the Brand’s Beloved Classic Military Trucks

Next year will mark the 85th anniversary of the Jeep nameplate, and the brand is wasting no time getting a jump start on its celebrations. 

Following the announcement of the Moab 392 and the 12 4 12 program (through which a new special Wrangler will launch every month throughout 2026), Jeep has unveiled a new heritage-inspired option for its Gladiator pickup.

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It’s called the Willys 41 Buzz. Along with going all-in on the muted military aesthetic, it also celebrates one of the brand’s beloved off-road classics: the M715.

Buzz cut special

While it’s mostly an appearance package, it’s nevertheless a comprehensive transformation. To pay homage to the M715, the Jeep Gladiator gets decked out from tip to tail.

Accordingly, along with treating the truck to its military-inspired  ‘41 olive drab paint, this means that Jeep is also outfitting the Buzz with some color-matched wheels, a Mojave hood and some  retro decals, as well as some special tan seat inserts and Mantis Green cloth accents inside the cabin.

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That said, the package does include some functional upgrades. At both ends, Jeep is speccing the Willys ‘41 Buzz with steel bumpers for improved protection. To that end, it also comes with a Mopar triple hoop grille guard.

Riding on some chunky mud-terrain tires, it certainly leans into the old-school look. But what about the M715 makes it worthy of a tribute?

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Enlisting the Gladiator

Kaiser Jeep introduced the M715 back in the 1960s when the United States military needed a tougher, more capable successor to the aging Dodge M37.

However, rather than developing a vehicle from scratch, the company instead looked to its civilian lineup for a starting point. Accordingly, the J-series Gladiator was chosen to lay the foundation.

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By repurposing an existing model, Jeep managed to cut the cost of the M37 in half. What’s more, with its one-and-a-quarter-ton load capacity, the Gladiator-based pickup boasted superior hauling compared to its three-quarter-ton Dodge predecessor. 

Now, Kaiser made some modifications to ensure that the M715 was ready for service — along with a flat windshield and instrument panel, the brand also fitted a canvas top and enlarged the fenders to provide plenty of tire clearance.

Though the Gladiator’s Tornado overhead-cam six-cylinder engine remained in place, the M715 did benefit from upgrades like a Warner four-speed crawler gearbox, a Dana 60 up front, as well as a full-floating Dana 70 at the rear.

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Ultimately, even with such changes, the truck wasn’t really suited to the jungle conditions of Vietnam, and the United States military eventually replaced it with the Dodge M880. All the same, the M715 made for an impressive effort, and it remains a popular rig for overlanding enthusiasts and restomodders alike.

And here’s the thing: Kaiser Jeep’s M715 lives on even today. Kia licensed the design for the production of its own service vehicle, the KM450, which it supplies to the South Korean military.

Kia

Pricing and availability

According to Jeep, the Gladiator Willys ‘41 buzz model is now available for order. MSRP is set to start at $47,840, which excludes the $1,995 destination fee. You can head to the Jeep website to learn more.

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2026 Jeep Gladiator ’41 Willys Buzz

• Starts at $47,840

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