Jago

Jago was a British specialist vehicle company founded by Geoff Jago in 1965. It began as Geoff Jago Custom Automotive, producing street-rod-style vehicles and custom automotive work before developing a range of kit cars. The company became best known for the Geep, a compact Jeep-inspired kit introduced in 1971. Rather than reproducing a full-size military Jeep, the Geep used glass-fibre body panels moulded from an original Second World War Willys Jeep and was adapted to use readily available British small-car mechanical components. The original Geep configuration used Ford Anglia 105E mechanical parts. To broaden the product's appeal and accommodate different donor vehicles, Jago added a Morris Minor-based version in 1974 and a Ford Escort-based version in 1976. This donor-car approach was characteristic of the British kit-car industry: customers supplied or sourced a production car and combined its engine, transmission, suspension, and other running gear with Jago's body and chassis components. The result was a comparatively accessible way to build a distinctive recreational or utility vehicle. The business changed its name to Jago Automotive in 1979 and later operated as Jago Developments Ltd. In 1983 it introduced the Samuri, a four-seat beach-buggy-style kit based on Ford Escort components. The kit was advertised at £795 plus tax and approximately 100 examples were produced before the model was discontinued in 1990. The company continued developing and selling its Jeep-styled product after the Samuri ended. In 1991 the Geep name was changed to Sandero, reportedly to avoid copyright-related concerns, and the final Sandero kits were produced around 1997. Jago's products occupied a niche between replica vehicles, recreational buggies, street rods, and home-built utility cars. The brand's importance rests less on industrial scale than on its contribution to Britain's enthusiast-led kit-car culture. Its vehicles were supported by owner communities and specialist engineering businesses; as late as 2014, a Sandero 4x4 kit was reported as available through Belfield 4x4 Engineering. The Jago Owners Club and enthusiast groups also helped preserve knowledge about construction, parts compatibility, maintenance, and vehicle registration. Although the original kit-car business had ceased regular production by the late 1990s, Jago Developments was described as continuing to manufacture specialist products for several industries, including concealment work for local councils and telecommunications applications, as well as theming and arts-related fabrication. The company was recorded as dissolved in January 2025. Surviving Jago vehicles, kits, clubs, and specialist support businesses remain part of the brand's legacy, but Jago is no longer an active mainstream vehicle manufacturer.

Geoff Jago established Geoff Jago Custom Automotive in 1965 to build street-rod-style vehicles and undertake custom automotive work. The company operated within Britain's expanding specialist and kit-car scene, where small manufacturers could create distinctive vehicles by combining proprietary bodywork with mechanical components from mass-produced donor cars. In 1971 Jago introduced the vehicle that became its signature product, the Geep. Its design drew on the appearance of the Willys Jeep used by Allied forces during the Second World War. Jago produced glass-fibre panels moulded from an original Willys Jeep and adapted the design for a smaller, more accessible donor-car platform. The initial Geep used Ford Anglia 105E mechanical parts. A Morris Minor-based alternative followed in 1974, and a Ford Escort version was added in 1976. These variants allowed builders to use different sources of engines, transmissions, suspension components, and other running gear. The company adopted the name Jago Automotive in 1979 and later became known as Jago Developments Ltd. Its model range expanded beyond the two-seat or compact Jeep-style concept. In 1983 the company announced the Samuri, a four-seat beach-buggy-style vehicle based on Ford Escort components. The kit was priced at £795 plus tax at launch. Approximately 100 Samuri kits were made before the model was withdrawn in 1990. The Geep name was changed to Sandero in 1991, reportedly because of concerns about copyright. Production of the final Sandero kits continued until around 1997. The Sandero and related Jago designs remained visible in the enthusiast market after factory production ended. In 2014, a Sandero 4x4 kit was reported as available from Belfield 4x4 Engineering, illustrating how specialist suppliers continued to support or reproduce elements of the design. Jago's influence was sustained by owners' clubs and online enthusiast communities. These groups circulated technical information, helped owners locate parts, and supported the buying and selling of incomplete or restored vehicles. The brand's vehicles were valued for their unusual appearance, home-build character, and use of relatively common donor-car components. After the regular kit-car business ended, Jago Developments was described as manufacturing for several non-automotive industries. Its work included concealment products for councils and telecommunications companies, along with theming and fabrication for the arts. This represented a broader specialist-manufacturing role rather than a return to volume automobile production. The company was recorded as dissolved in January 2025. Jago therefore survives primarily as a historic British kit-car marque and as a community-supported body of vehicle designs rather than as an operating automotive manufacturer.

• 2025

  Jago company recorded as dissolved

  [1]Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Jago Developments was recorded as dissolved in January 2025.

• 1997

  Final Sandero kits produced

  [1]Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Production of the last Sandero kits ended around this time.

• 1991

  Geep renamed Sandero

  [1]Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org

  The Geep name was changed to Sandero, reportedly to avoid copyright-related issues.

• 1990

  Samuri production ends

  [1]Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Approximately 100 Samuri kits had been produced before the model was discontinued.

• 1983

  Samuri announced

  [1]Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Jago announced the four-seat Ford Escort-based Samuri beach-buggy-style kit, priced at £795 plus tax.

• 1979

  Company renamed Jago Automotive

  [1]Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org

  The business changed its name from Geoff Jago Custom Automotive to Jago Automotive.

• 1976

  Ford Escort-based Geep variant added

  [1]Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Jago introduced a Ford Escort-based version of the Geep.

• 1974

  Morris Minor-based Geep variant added

  [1]Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org

  A version using Morris Minor parts expanded the donor-car choices available to Geep builders.

• 1971

  The Geep is introduced

  [1]Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Jago introduced the Jeep-inspired Geep, using glass-fibre panels moulded from an original Willys Jeep and Ford Anglia 105E mechanical components.

• 1965

  Geoff Jago establishes the original company

  [1]Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Geoff Jago founded Geoff Jago Custom Automotive to produce street-rod-style vehicles and undertake custom automotive work.

A British enthusiast-oriented kit-car and specialist fabrication brand focused on accessible donor-car-based vehicles, Jeep-inspired styling, and low-volume custom production.

• Jeep-inspired kit car · 1971

  Geep

  Jago's best-known kit car, introduced in 1971. The Geep used glass-fibre body panels moulded from an original Second World War Willys Jeep. It was designed around donor-car mechanical components, initially from the Ford Anglia 105E, with later versions using Morris Minor and Ford Escort parts. The compact, recreational design gave home builders a way to create a Jeep-like vehicle without constructing a full military-vehicle replica.

• Four-seat beach-buggy-style kit car · 1983

  Samuri

  A four-seat beach-buggy-style kit announced in 1983 and based on Ford Escort components. The Samuri was positioned as a recreational vehicle for builders seeking a more spacious alternative to compact Jeep-style kits. Its advertised kit price was £795 plus tax, and approximately 100 examples were produced before the model was removed from production in 1990.

• Jeep-inspired kit car · 1991

  Sandero

  The later name for the Geep design. Jago changed the model name to Sandero in 1991, reportedly to avoid copyright-related concerns. The final kits were produced around 1997, and specialist suppliers continued to support or offer related 4x4 kit products after original production ended.

• 1991

  Rename the Geep as SanderoStrategy

  Background

  Jago's Jeep-inspired kit had been known as the Geep since 1971, but the company faced concerns about continued use of that name.

  Action taken

  The company changed the model name from Geep to Sandero.

  Aftermath

  Sandero kits remained in production until around 1997 and continued to have a presence in the enthusiast and specialist-support market.

  Source

• 1979

  Adopt the Jago Automotive nameStrategy

  Background

  The original business had operated as Geoff Jago Custom Automotive since its establishment in 1965.

  Action taken

  The company changed its name to Jago Automotive and later operated as Jago Developments Ltd.

  Aftermath

  The business continued developing kit cars and later undertook specialist manufacturing beyond the automotive sector.

  Source

1. 1Jago (car)en.wikipedia.org