Automotive Recyclers Association - Archive

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• Hummer Blog
• Hummer.com

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Hummer Cars

While everyone nervously waited, wondering the fate of the HUMMER marque, a press release finally eliminated fears that the brand was dead. In October 2009, General Motors and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd (Tengzhong), announced that the privately owned Chinese engineering company would assume eighty percent of HUMMER, while individual entrepreneur Suolang Duoji would maintain twenty percent equity. GM would remain under contract to provide services until 2011 with the option to extend the arrangement until 2012.

Originally a military vehicle, Hummer is most recognizable due to its box-like shape with wide berth and tall, intimidating design. In truth, the Hummer itself was not used by the military, but rather was created because of the demand for the HUMVEE which stands for “High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle” or HMMWV. The Hummer is the civilian version and the Humvee is the military model.

To understand the history of Hummer, one needs to go back prior to the creation of the Humvee. Kaiser Jeep Corporation was in the business of building heavy and durable jeeps for the post office, police departments, and utility companies. In order to devote resources to research and development, they decided to establish a separate division solely dedicated to government vehicles. As a result, The Defense and Government Products Division was born.

In 1970, Kaiser was bought out by American Motors Corporation, who at the time was a major player as an American carmaker, in fact supplying the engines to the prestigious "Jeep" brand. To keep the government jeep business separate from the consumer Jeep brand, a new company was incorporated in 1971 called AM General Corporation, which was a subsidiary of AMC, distinct from Jeep Corporation. In 1979, the Humvee was initially designed and then in 1981 the government granted AM General a prototype contract which subsequently led to the 1983 order of seventy thousand Humvees. That same year, AM General was sold to LTV Corporation and in 1992, it was sold to The Renco Group, Inc. of New York City.

As consumers craved more macho vehicles and the ultimate in four-by-fours, in 1992 AM General put into production the rugged, civilian vehicle called "HUMMER". By 1999, AM General and General Motors Corporation reached an agreement whereby GMC was issued a license to the Hummer name and design. At this time, they renamed the HUMMER to HUMMER H1. GMC furthered the development of the Hummer and released a newer version, the H2 in 2002. At this point, AM General was no longer involved in any aspect of the civilian HUMMER that GM produced and marketed.

Interesting Tidbits about HUMMER

• Renault who owned forty-six percent of American Motors by 1981 never owned any of AM General due to the sensitivity of government contracts. Thus, LTV Corporation, an American company was approved the purchase. Likewise, General Motors never owned any part of AM General nor its military technology . They only owned the civilian name HUMMER. AM General LLC still exists as a company of its own.
• Dealers did not sell the car from the regular showroom but from quonset hut buildings with a very tall "H" on the front.
• Because the Hummer weighs more than six thousand pounds, it has been considered farm equipment and thus, anyone who owned the vehicle could legally claim it as a tax deduction in the US. (please check with your own counsel)
• Arnold Schwarzenegger (Mr. Universe, The Terminator, and Governor of California) received the first civilian H1. It has been rumored that he was the impetus in getting the civilian model out to the general public that much sooner.
• AM General and GMC hired Rod Hall (Baja 1000) and Robby Gordon (NASCAR Sprint Cup) as drivers for off-road racing competitions. Gordon's Hummer was worth more than one million dollars.
• Vehicles fall into three categories – SUVs, trucks and limousines.
• In December 2008, the 2009 Hummer H3T was named Pickup Truck of the Year by Four Wheeler magazine.
• Hummer has its own fragrance collection by Elizabeth Arden called HUMMER and HUMMER H2.

Hummer Models

• H1
• H1 Alpha
• H2
• H3 Alpha
• H3T
• H3X
• H2 Limited Edition
• H2SUT
• HX Concept
• H1, H2 and H3 Limousines