This article is about the Hummer brand. For the Hummer H1, see Hummer H1. The Hummer H1 is a civilian Off-road vehicle based on the M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee which was created by AM General For other uses, see Hummer (disambiguation).

Hummer
Type	Division of GM
Founded	1995
Headquarters	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Industry	Automobile
Products	(H1) pickup truck, SUV (H2, H3), Sport utility vehicles
Parent	General Motors
Website	www.hummer.com

Hummer is a brand of off-road vehicles sold by General Motors, also known as GM. A division of a business entity is a portion of that business that operates under a different name Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" In Marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a Market that might satisfy a want or need The Hummer H1 is a civilian Off-road vehicle based on the M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee which was created by AM General A pickup truck is a light Motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area which is almost always separated from the cab to allow for chassis flex when carrying or pulling The Hummer H2 is an SUV and SUT manufactured by General Motors under the Hummer brand The Hummer H3 SUV is a vehicle from General Motors ' Hummer division introduced in 2006 A sport utility vehicle ( SUV) is a generic marketing description for a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a Station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis A holding company is a company that owns part all or a majority of other companies' outstanding Stock. General Motors Corporation ( GM) ( is a multinational automobile manufacturer founded in 1908 and headquartered in the United States. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages A brand is a collection of Images and ideas representing an economic producer more specifically it refers to the descriptive verbal attributes and concrete symbols such as a An off-road vehicle is considered to be any type of Vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or Gravel surface General Motors Corporation ( GM) ( is a multinational automobile manufacturer founded in 1908 and headquartered in the United States. The H1 version is based on the military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV, or Humvee). This article refers to the Military HMMWV not the civilian Hummer sold by General Motors The M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled The H2 and the H3, were introduced as smaller civilian market versions. The Hummer H2 is an SUV and SUT manufactured by General Motors under the Hummer brand The Hummer H3 SUV is a vehicle from General Motors ' Hummer division introduced in 2006

In most countries, some Hummers are considered to be trucks, rather than regular SUVs, as they do not meet environmental protection standards. A sport utility vehicle ( SUV) is a generic marketing description for a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a Station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis For example, in New Zealand and Australia, a truck licence is needed in order to operate some of the heavier models. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

History

Hummer radiator grille

Hummers were originally built by AM General Corporation, which was formerly AMC Jeep's General Products division^[1], in its South Bend, Indiana assembly plant. A grille (French word from Latin craticula, small grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend Indiana, best known for the civilian American Motors Corporation (AMC was an American automobile company formed on January 14 1954 by the merger of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation Jeep is an Automobile Marque (and registered trademark of Chrysler. Mishawaka (ˌmɪʃəˈwɑːkə is a city on the St Joseph river and a Twin city of South Bend in St The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union AM General had planned to sell a civilian version of the Hum-Vee as far back as the late 1980s. In 1990, two matching white Hum-Vees were driven from London to Beijing over the rough roads of central Soviet Union. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Hummers made the trip with ease, for they were built to drive on off-road terrain. The highlights of this journey were broadcast in the United States on ESPN. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ESPN, originally an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American Cable television network dedicated to This publicity would pale in comparison to the attention that the HMMWV received for its service in Operation: Desert Storm the following year.

In 1992, AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Hum-Vee) vehicle to the public under the brand name "Hummer". This article refers to the Military HMMWV not the civilian Hummer sold by General Motors The M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled According to sources, they began doing so after Arnold Schwarzenegger asked them to; apparently, he was impressed by a convoy of HMMWVs that drove by during his filming Kindergarten Cop in 1990. Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger ( German ˌaɐnɔlt aloʏs ˈʃvaɐtsənɛɡɐ born July 30 1947 is an Austrian American Bodybuilder, Actor Kindergarten Cop is a 1990 Comedy-drama film directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In 1998, AM General sold the brand name to General Motors, but continued to manufacture the vehicles. GM is responsible for the marketing and distribution of all Hummers produced by AM General. In the next few years, GM introduced two new homegrown models, the H2 and H3, and renamed the original vehicle H1. The Hummer H2 is an SUV and SUT manufactured by General Motors under the Hummer brand The Hummer H3 SUV is a vehicle from General Motors ' Hummer division introduced in 2006 AM General continued to build the H1 until it was discontinued in 2006,^[2] and is contracted by GM to produce the H2. The H3 is built in Shreveport, LA alongside the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups, with which it shares the GMT-355 platform (custom modified and designated GMT-345). The Chevrolet Colorado and its counterpart the GMC Canyon, are General Motors ' mid-size Pickup trucks introduced in 2004 to replace GMT is the name used for all of General Motors ' SUV / Truck Automobile platforms With the introduction of more and more crossover vehicles

2006 Hummer lineup: H3, H1, and H2 (L-R)

As of 2006, Hummer has gone international with selected importers and distributors in Europe and other markets. The Hummer H3 SUV is a vehicle from General Motors ' Hummer division introduced in 2006 The Hummer H1 is a civilian Off-road vehicle based on the M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee which was created by AM General The Hummer H2 is an SUV and SUT manufactured by General Motors under the Hummer brand

Since October 10, 2006, GM has been producing the Hummer H3 at its Port Elizabeth plant in South Africa for international markets. Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa ^[3] Hummers at the Port Elizabeth plant are built both for local South African consumption and exported to Australia in the 2008 model year. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. In Europe, the Middle East, and Japan, the H3 is also already available. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Hummer H3 SUV is a vehicle from General Motors ' Hummer division introduced in 2006 As of October 2006, Hummer vehicles are marketed by about 300 dealers in 34 countries. 173 of those are in the U. S.

The H2 is also assembled in Kaliningrad, Russia, by Avtotor, starting in June 2004. Kaliningrad (Калининград is a Seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian Exclave between Poland Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The plant produces a few hundred vehicles annually, and its output is limited to local consumption (five dealers in Russia initially).

GM CEO Rick Wagoner has said the Hummer brand of trucks will run on Biofuel Powertrains at last year's Los Angeles International Auto Show. The Los Angeles Auto Show is an annual Auto show that takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Arnold Schwarzenegger has subsequently had one of his Hummers converted to run on biofuel and now promotes this approach. Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger ( German ˌaɐnɔlt aloʏs ˈʃvaɐtsənɛɡɐ born July 30 1947 is an Austrian American Bodybuilder, Actor

The future of the Hummer brand is in doubt. On Tuesday 3 June 2008, one day prior to GM's annual shareholder meeting, CEO Rick Wagoner said the brand is being reviewed, and has the possibility of either being sold, having the production line completely redisigned, or being discontinued. . ^[4] This is due to the decreasing demand for large SUVs as a result of higher oil prices.

Off-road abilities

As of May 2008, Hummer is the only brand in the United States whose entire model range lineup comes standard with a low-range transfer case, relatively high-ground clearance, and off-road tires. Additionally, no two-wheel drive Hummers are offered at this time.

Racing

Team HUMMER stock-class H3 driven by Rod Hall. Hall finished first in class with the H3 in the 2005 Baja 1000. Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in the fall

Robby Gordon's Dakar Rally H3.

Team Hummer Racing was created in 1993 and showcases the Hummer's abilities. Led by off-road racing legend Rod Hall, Team HUMMER competes in the Stock classes of both BitD and SCORE, which feature production-based vehicles with stock frames, stock suspension designs and production-based engines. Rod Hall is an off-road racer He was inducted in the Off-road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2005 Only specialized racing shock absorbers, tires and other minor modifications are allowed, along with the required supporting components and mandatory safety equipment. Minor modifications are allowed to the powertrain, although the rules stipulate it must be based on the stock engine and transmission combination.

The team's latest victories came in April 2008, when Team HUMMER swept the stock class races at the Terrible's Town 250. . ^[5]

Team HUMMER has tallied one of the most impressive records in production-class racing, earning 11 class wins at the Baja 1000.

Dakar Rally

A highly modified, two-wheel drive Hummer was raced by Robby Gordon in the 2006 and 2007 (8th place) Dakar Rally. Robert W Gordon (born in Bellflower California, on January 2, 1969) is an American Racing driver who currently competes in the NASCAR The Dakar Rally (or simply " The Dakar " formerly known as "The Paris Dakar" or "Paris to Dakar Rally" and now as "The Lisboa Dakar" is

Hummer H1 compared with HMMWV

The Hummer H1 is basically a HMMWV built for civilian use; it has no armor or weapons fittings. This article refers to the Military HMMWV not the civilian Hummer sold by General Motors The M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled However the powertrain, chassis, body, suspension, etc. For the UK engine manufacturer see Powertrain Ltd. In a Motor vehicle, the term drivetrain, powertrain or powerplant A chassis (plural "chassis" (ˈʃæːsiː ˈtʃæːsiː consists of a framework that supports an inanimate object analogous to an Animal 's , are the same. The H1 differs from the HMMWV in having a civilian interior, including trim, comfortable seats, stereo radio, and air conditioning as standard options. A trim package is an Automotive package composed by a set of cosmetic (mostly non-functional Embellishments to a Vehicle. Stereophonic sound, commonly called stereo, is the reproduction of Sound, using two or more independent audio channels through a Symmetrical The term air conditioning refers to the cooling and dehumidification of indoor air for Thermal comfort. As a result of its commercial use, features introduced in the civilian Hummer have been incorporated into improved military versions. The H1's electrical system is 12-volt, with the two batteries wired in parallel. The volt (symbol V) is the SI derived unit of electric Potential difference or Electromotive force. A car battery is a type of Rechargeable battery that supplies electric energy to an Automobile. If two or more circuit components are connected end to end like a daisy chain it is said they are connected in series. The HMMWV runs on a 24-volt system, where the two batteries are run in series.

Owner efforts

Since all Hummer vehicles have heavy-duty capabilities, they have been employed by owners for aid in large disaster situations. Hummer Owners Prepared for Emergencies (HOPE) was created by the efforts of The Hummer Club, INC. and the American Red Cross. Together, the two organizations train Hummer owners with CPR and First Aid skills, and basic off-highway skills so that they may assist victims during a disaster situation. GM paid the Red Cross $4 million to participate in the organization. ^[6]

Licensing

GM has been very active and effective in licensing the Hummer. Various companies have licensed the Hummer trademarks for use on colognes, flashlights, bicycles^[7], shoes, coats, hats, laptops^[8], clothing, CD players and other items. Cologne or Eau de Cologne is a Toiletry, a Perfume in a style of that from Cologne, Germany. ^[9]

Starting in the early Nineties, when AM General started selling to the civilian market, Hummers began making appearances in the Film and Television industry. Some earlier and noticeable appearances include Jurassic Park, which featured several different SUV style vehicles, seaQuest DSV which used the Hummer H1 in place of Humvees, and Earth 2 which featured a large, "solar-powered" Hummer Concept truck as their main mode of conveyance. Jurassic Park is a 1993 Science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel of the same name by Michael seaQuest DSV was an American Science fiction television series created by Rockne S The Hummer H1 is a civilian Off-road vehicle based on the M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee which was created by AM General This article refers to the Military HMMWV not the civilian Hummer sold by General Motors The M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Earth 2 is a short-lived science fiction Television series which aired on NBC from November 6, 1994 to June 4, 1995 Solar energy is the Light and radiant heat from the Sun that powers Earth 's Climate and Weather and sustains Life More recently noticeable appearances include CSI:Miami, being driven by the chief of the crime lab Lt. CSI Miami is a spin-off of the CBS network series. CSI Miami airs new episodes Mondays at 10 PM ET/PT on CBS. Horatio Caine (played by David Caruso) and in the 2007 Transformers movie the Autobot known as Ratchet transforms into a search and rescue Hummer H2. Lt Horatio Caine is a Fictional character in the series, played by actor David Caruso. David Stephen Caruso (born January 7 1956) is an American film and television Actor and producer. Transformers is a 2007 Live-action Film adaptation of the ''Transformers'' franchise, directed by Michael Bay and The Autobot, a faction of Sentient Robots from the planet Cybertron are the main Protagonists in the fictional universe of the Transformers, Ratchet is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes. The Hummer H2 is an SUV and SUT manufactured by General Motors under the Hummer brand

Criticisms

Criticism of Hummers includes all the criticism of SUVs in general, although at a higher degree. A sport utility vehicle ( SUV) is a generic marketing description for a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a Station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis See Criticism of sport utility vehicles. Criticism of sport utility vehicles is the expression (made by various groups organizations or individuals of disapproval of Sport utility vehicles (SUVs

Specific extra criticisms of Hummers include:

Poor fuel economy

Even compared to other heavy passenger vehicles, Hummers have poor fuel economy. For instance, the H2 in one engine configuration averages about 15 mpg (US) (16 L/100 km) on highways, (10 mpg or 24 L/100 km on the street), and has a curb weight of over 6000 pounds (2722 kg). Miles per gallon ( MPG) is a metric term that measures how many miles a vehicle can travel on one gallon of fuel * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve

Safety

Crash data for Hummers is less complete than for other SUVs. Because of its weight, it takes longer and farther to stop in emergency braking situations. There is a lack of standard safety features, including child safety locks, child seat tethers, side air bags and stability control. Large blind spots make parking difficult and possibly dangerous. ^[10]

Size

Some Hummers are significantly bigger than other SUVs; this can cause problems parking, driving and fitting in a garage. ^[11]

Safety and ecology

Safety and ecological perceptions from other road users has attracted a lot of criticism. ^[12][13] Environment activists have specifically targeted Hummers, sometimes using violent means. Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and Social movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the environment. ^[14][15][16]

Models

Custom HUMMER H6 at the Dubai Motor Show. The Middle East International Motor Show (also called the Dubai Motor Show) is an annual Auto show held at the Emirate of Dubai, in the United Arab

There are three current and possibly two future models in the HUMMER line:

Production models

• HUMMER H1 (discontinued)
• HUMMER H2
  • HUMMER H2 SUT
• HUMMER H3
  • HUMMER H3T (Coming in summer 2009)
  • HUMMER H3x
  • HUMMER H3 Alpha

Concept vehicles

• HUMMER HX

See also

• Jeep
• High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Hum-Vee)
• Lamborghini Cheetah
• Lamborghini LM002
• Toyota Mega Cruiser
• International XT
• Unimog

External links

• AM General official site
• GM's HUMMER homepage

References