Carvendo

The SUV as we know it today may seem like a trend of the last 15 years, but the story starts almost a century ago. In 1941, in the middle of the Second World War, Willys Overland built the very first Jeeps for the US Army. Functional, simple, robust and intended as a “General Purpose” vehicle. GP was pronounced “djie-pie”, which eventually gave rise to the name Jeep. This car was not a marketing product, a luxury object and not a status symbol like many SUVs are today. It was pure necessity. A tool. A solution for a task that no other vehicle could perform back then. But exactly that was the beginning of what would later become the world's most dominant car concept.

After the war, the Jeep became civilian.

When the war was over, something interesting started. The Jeep became civilian. He ended up with civilians, farmers, adventurers, outdoorsmen. And from that moment on, something began that would only get bigger. Jeep dared to pioneer in a way that few brands have ever done. They introduced new shapes, new concepts and new types of vehicles that did not exist yet. The brand was almost always one step ahead. Always concerned with utility, versatility, freedom and usability. A car that could go anywhere but was also usable on the road. It is precisely from that philosophy that the modern SUV ultimately came into being.

The SUV in the 70s and 80s

In the 1970s, that idea began to shift towards comfort. The first Range Rover, the Jeep Wagoneer, Mercedes with the G-Class and the Talbot Matra Rancho showed that off-road vehicles could also be lifestyle. That you were able to combine freedom and adventure with luxury and appearance. Cars were no longer only bought because they could do something, but also because they exuded something.

In the 1980s, this development continued, but was temporarily interrupted by the MPV. Chrysler Voyager, Renault Espace practically won the race. But that was an intermediate phase. In the 90s, the real global explosion of the SUV began. Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota RAV4 America fell in love en masse. Europe followed with increasingly luxurious versions of the Range Rover and the endlessly developed G-Class. At the end of the 90s, early 2000, something happened that changed everything permanently: premium European brands also got in full. BMW, Mercedes and later even Porsche. From that moment on, the SUV was no longer a niche, no exotic choice, no longer a “special segment”. It became mainstream. It became the center of the car market.

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Almost every brand has an SUV

Today, almost every car brand has an SUV. And the great thing is: it is often even the best-selling model. Even with brands you would never expect it from before: Ferrari. Lamborghini. Rolls-Royce. Bentley. The SUV now exists in all shapes, drives and price ranges. From electric SUVs to plug-in hybrids and traditional gasoline engines. People love it for space, comfort, practical height, feeling safe, overview and the freedom that the concept exudes. The SUV is actually the most human type of car ever created: not designed for fashion, but grew out of need. Born functional, emotionally evolved.

And that's exactly what we at Carvendo find important. Cars are not pure metal. They are culture. Identity. Development. An SUV is the ultimate example: what was once a military tool became a symbol of freedom, adventure, luxury and security. It explains how car needs are changing and growing with time and society. That's why the SUV is such a great subject, and that's why we think it's important to not only sell cars at Carvendo, but also to keep telling the stories behind them. Because when you understand the story, you also understand why people drive what they drive and why an SUV has become the most popular car model in the world today.

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