Bantam BRC is an American off-road vehicle designed during World War II, constructed in 1940, and the precursor to the Jeep.

[1] Earlier, on 27 May 1940, the Technical Armament Committee had approved the vehicle's specifications, which included all-wheel drive, a simple open body with a nearly rectangular outline, three seats (with a rear double seat), a wheelbase of 80 inches (2,032 mm), 47-inch (1,194 mm) axle track, and a maximum weight of 590 kg.

[1] American Bantam, based in Butler, Pennsylvania, was a small car manufacturer plagued by financial difficulties but saw an opportunity in the tender.

[1] The grueling 30-day endurance tests, during which it covered 5,800 km, were successful, and any breakdowns, including frame cracks, were swiftly repaired (any malfunction lasting more than 24 hours would have led to disqualification).

[1] Like the prototype, these vehicles had a narrowing hood with a rounded grille but were additionally equipped with bar guards for the headlights, which were partially recessed into the fenders.

Apart from the headlight placement, the main visual distinction from Ford GPs and Willys vehicles was the rectangular front fenders with rounded corners.

The fuel tank was relocated from the rear of the vehicle to under the driver’s seat, and the windshield became sturdier and split in two.

[1] In the U.S., vehicles of this class were generally not intended for combat, but the BRC could carry a .50 caliber M2 Browning heavy machine gun on a pillar mount installed between the front seats, similar to later standard jeeps.

[5] According to other sources, a total of 808 vehicles were sent to the Soviet Union, about 530 of which were used by the Red Army, with the remainder employed by other services (e.g., adapted as fire engines).

In pursuit of optimal vehicles, the American Quartermaster Corps (QMC) provided the plans of the Bantam prototype to Willys and Ford for use in their projects, allowing them to observe the prototype during testing (despite Bantam's objections, the Army argued that it had paid for the development and could show it to whomever it chose).

[9] The term "jeep" for an off-road vehicle became associated with Willys during the war, and the company used this in its marketing materials.

[11] Despite this, Bantam soon went bankrupt, and in 1950, Willys, which continued to produce its off-road vehicles, subsequently registered Jeep as its trademark.