HUMMER - Some facts

HUMMER is a brand of off-road vehicles sold by General Motors, also known as GM. The H1 version is based on the military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV, or Humvee). The H2 and the H3, were introduced as smaller civilian market versions.

In most countries, some Hummers are considered to be trucks, rather than regular SUVs, as they do not meet environmental protection standards.For example, in New Zealand and Australia, a truck licence is needed in order to operate some of the heavier models

is a brand of off-road vehicles sold by General Motors, also known as GM. The H1 version is based on the military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV, or Humvee). The H2 and the H3, were introduced as smaller civilian market versions.

In most countries, some Hummers are considered to be trucks, rather than regular SUVs, as they do not meet environmental protection standards. For example, in New Zealand and Australia, a truck licence is needed in order to operate some of the heavier models.

Off-road Abilities

As of April 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.

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. 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..

Team HUMMER has tallied one of the most impressive records in production-class racing, earning 11 class wins at the Baja 1000. Danielle Lermer's Hummer Smells

Hummer H1 compared with HMMWV

The Hummer H1 is basically a HMMWV built for civilian use; it has no armor or weapons fittings. However the powertrain, chassis, body, suspension, etc., 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. 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 HMMWV runs on a 24-volt system, where the two batteries are run in series.

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[6], shoes, coats, hats, skateboards, laptops ,clothing, jewellery, CD players and other items

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. More recently noticeable appearances include CSI:Miami, being driven by the chief of the crime lab Lt. 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.

Criticisms

Criticism of Hummers includes all the criticism of SUVs in general, although at a higher degree. See Criticism of sport utility vehicles.

Specific extra criticisms of Hummers include:

Poor fuel economy Along with other heavy passenger vehicles, Hummers have relatively 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).[citation needed] 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.

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

Safety and ecology Safety and ecological perceptions from other road users has attracted a lot of criticism.Eco-terrorists have specifically targeted Hummers.

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

Production models

* HUMMER H1 * HUMMER H2 o HUMMER H2 SUT * HUMMER H3 o HUMMER H3T (Coming in summer 2009) o HUMMER H3x o HUMMER H3 Alpha

Concept vehicles

* HUMMER HX

HUMER HI

was a civilian off-road vehicle based on the M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV, or Humvee), which was created by AM General. The vehicle was produced from 1992 through 2006, and was the first of what became the Hummer line.

Originally released in the civilian market in 1992, the Hummer H1 owed its birth to the popularity of photos from Operation Desert Storm and the enthusiastic campaign from actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who personally owns several variants of Hummer vehicles. GM announced that 2006 would be the last model year for the Hummer H1, with production winding down in June 2006 due to a new emission law for Diesel engine vehicles which takes effect in 2007.

Due to the requirement to meet EPA Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards, the cost involving recertification for a low volume civilian variant vehicle was not able to be justified. AM General currently has orders for an excess of 50,000 new HMMWVs to be produced between 2006-2009 for the United States Military. AM General also will continue to produce the H1, just not the Alpha. These vehicles will be sold through fleet sales.

It is rumored that the next H1 will most-likely bear a refined version of the prior 6.5 L Turbo Diesel engine, but that has not been confirmed. Selling the H1s to friendly foreign governments and US organizations with emissions exemptions will allow AM General to not be subjected to the new 2007 Tier 2 Bin 5 emission rules and regulations. AM General has sufficient fleet orders to produce 600-800 units per year right now. The fleet H1s will end up using the standard 6.5 L Turbo Diesel that has been commonplace in GM and commercial applications.

Specifications

The Hummer H1 has three common variants: a convertible-like soft top, a four-door hard top pickup truck and a Wagon body version. Other less known variants include a two-door pickup truck and a four-door slantback. The convertible/soft top and the station wagon versions were the last ones available in the mass market. The two door and four door pickup versions are only available in fleet livery.

Currently, five engine types and three automatic transmission types can be found in Hummer H1s. The common engine/transmission combinations are:

* 6.2 L GM Diesel V8/GM TH400/3L80 3-speed * 6.5 L GM Diesel V8/GM 4L80-E 4-speed * 5.7 L Vortec 5700 gasoline V8 TBI/GM 4L80-E 4-speed * 6.5 L turbo GM Diesel V8/GM 4L80-E 4-speed * 6.6 L turbo Duramax LLY turbo Diesel/Allison 1000 5-speed (model year 2006)

The Hummer H1 shares some common driveline parts with its HMMWV brethren. Items like brakes, axles, frame and major body panels (hood, tailgate and quarter panels) are identical between the HMMWV and the Hummer H1. All Hummer H1s and HMMWVs come off the same assembly line, and then civilian H1s get painted and finished in a separate building across the parking lot.

Hummer H1s are unique in the way they handle off road, and in their interior arrangement. Passenger and highway comfort are sacrificed for maximum mobility compared to civilian SUVs, with features much more radical than the original Jeep, though they do share a similarly cut simple grille opening. They are inherently very stable, thanks to their wide stance. They also can ford 30 inches (76 cm) of water, climb a 22-inch (56 cm) step, have a stock ground clearance of 16 inches (41 cm). This high clearance is made possible by tucking driveline components inside a channel in the central space between the left and right seats. They have high approach/departure angles of 72/37.5 degrees. Most H1s are equipped with a Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS), which enables the driver to increase or decrease the tire air pressure at will- since lower tire pressures are more suited for off road, and higher tire pressures are desirable on-road.

Hummer H1s have many unusual features. They use inboard brakes. They have portal gears, allowing the drivetrain's half shafts to be up high for greater clearance. The radiator is up high, sloping back over the engine on a forward hinged hood. The air intake is mounted high, enabling fording waist-level water. Rather than using simple runflat tires, aluminum or rubber inserts are an optional feature for runflat ability. Chemical warfare resistant paint is available only on the military version.

2006 Hummer H1 Alpha

The "Alpha" was an extensively re-engineered H1 that was equipped with GM's Duramax Diesel and 5-speed Allison transmission. The previous version of the H1 with the 6.5L "Optimizer" turbo-diesel engine suffered from sluggish sales; lack of power was one of the reasons for customer resistance. In 2002, AM General CEO Jim Armour took the idea of repowering the H1 to Bob Lutz and the GM Luxury Vehicle committee. GM soon approved the use of their Duramax/Allison powertrain for the H1. This would support the continuation of the H1 as the grandparent of the Hummer portfolio; it would also allow AM General to give the truck a much needed dose of updating in terms of power, torque, refinement and the ability to meet 2004 heavy duty EPA emissions requirements.

The update program commenced in late 2002 with production launch slated to be fall of 2004. The engineering team chose the engine variant out of the GMT560 truck (the C4500) because it packaged better into the H1 engine bay; however, 23 engine component changes were required and the team had to do a 2.0 in (51 mm) body lift to accommodate the taller engine and its turbo housing (a prior 0.5 in (13 mm) lift had been done for MY96 to accommodate the turbo on the 6.5L engine). The GMT560 engine calibration was used with minimal modification; engine output was 300 hp (220 kW) and 520 lb·ft (705 N·m) of torque. Due to the Duramax engine being equipped with cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation and an internal engine oil cooler, the team had to deal with a 40 percent heat rejection increase to engine coolant. However, they were unable to increase the size of the cooling pack between the air-lift brackets that protrude from the hood. This meant dramatically re-engineering the fan system by putting the fan directly under the coolpack and driving it through a special gearbox directly off the crankshaft damper pulley. Several other cooling system modifications were required to assist with cold starting from -30 °F (-34.4 °C).

Other major modifications included the use of special high-strength steel in the chassis frame, a more powerful steering gear; quieter axle differentials, redesign of the geared hubs to use quieter helical gears, new induction, exhaust and electrical power systems; and re-engineering of the fuel supply and filtration system.

Off road the much higher torque of the engine, combined with a lower gearing ratio (about 44.5 to 1 in low lock), made the truck much more powerful. The Duramax engine delivered more torque at lower engine speeds than the 6.5L, so the team actually had to calibrate the torque management to protect certain driveline parts. This new torque profile coupled with centralized tire inflation and AM General's new interior resulted in the complete re-engineering of everything except the carryover body made of aluminum beams and panels.

Production launch was early in 2005, and continued until production ceased in mid-2006. All vehicles built during this time are classified as model year 2006

The program was cancelled May 12, 2006 because GM decided to withdraw technical and financial support for future engineering and recertification.

Price

The suggested retail price was $129,399.00 for the open-top; the wagon was $140,796.00.

* In 1990, before the H1 was sold to the public, and even before Operation: Desert Storm, AM General tested two matching white H1s by entering them in the "London To Peking Motor Challenge", a car rally consisting largely of vintage automobiles. The H1s performed flawlessly, traversing the rough roads and desert heat of central Asia with ease and even performing stunts like climbing sand dunes in the Gobi Desert for the amusement of local villagers. Highlights of the drive were broadcast in the United States on ESPN. * In 2003, there were only 10,877 Hummer H1s in existence. * In 2004, AM general sold 447 Hummer H1s * In 2005, all H1's produced were classified as model year 2006 * In 2006, AM general sold 374 Hummer H1s [1] * Crawl ratio of the old 6.5L H1 was 35.35:1. The H1 Alpha is now 44.5:1. * The Hummer H1 uses front brake calipers from the AMC Eagle, steering column from the Ford LTD, ignition key set from the Ford Escort, armrests from the Jeep Cherokee, and seats from Isringhausen. * The Hummer H1's exterior is a combination of SMC fiberglass (for the hood) steel (roof and sidewalls above rear quarter panels), and aluminum. Its body panels are bonded together with a combination of rivets, bolts and cyanoacrylic (ie, Superglue) adhesives. * It is featured in the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PSP game Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition/Remix. * In Pixar's 2006 film Cars, Arnold Schwarzenegger (one of the first civilians to own an H1 Hummer) voices a cameo starring an anthropomorphic Hummer H1 known as "The Governator". * In 2007, a CNN Hummer H1, known as "Warrior One", that was used to cover the Iraq War was auctioned for charity after being renovated by TLC. * The H1 was the last production consumer vehicle to be produced without airbags.

HUMMERH2

The H2 SUV/SUT/Hydrogen is the second vehicle sold under the Hummer marque of General Motors Corporation. It is a large truck (lighter and slightly slimmer than the Hummer H1, while slightly longer and slightly taller) with room for six passengers (including driver). The rearmost part of the H2 SUV was modified to a pickup truck bed for the 2005 H2 SUT ("Sport Utility Truck"). Contents

The H2 is built under contract by AM General at a specially constructed plant in Mishawaka, Indiana, USA. Although it shares GM's GMT820 truck platform with the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, those vehicles differ in many ways and are constructed in three other GM plants. The H2's final frame assembly is made up of 3 sections: The front uses a modified GM 2500-Series (or did until November 8, 2009) utility frame, the mid-section is all new and is completely boxed, and the rear section uses a modified GM 1500-Series frame which is upgraded for the 8,600 pound (3629 kg) gross vehicle weight. The hummer H2 does 0-60 in 14.7 secods

H2 sales were initially strong, but fell to 28,898 for 2004 and 23,213 for 2005.

The H2 was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award for 2003.

The H2 has a massive truck frame and has a wider-than-average track firm that may offer stability against overturning compared to some of the more common light truck SUVs, although objective tests have not been performed by the government or other outside parties due to its specialized vehicle class. It is marketed as both a general purpose vehicle and as an off-road vehicle. Because of mass marketing by GM, it is primarily used as a passenger vehicle on typical roads. Along with the Ford Excursion, the H2 is also a very common vehicle for a limousine conversion.

The Hummer H2 is also prominently featured on CBS' CSI:Miami, driven mainly by the chief of the Miami-Dade Police Department crime lab (Lt. Horatio Caine, played by David Caruso), as well as three of his colleagues: Detective Calleigh Duquesne (played by Emily Procter), Eric Delko (played by Adam Rodriguez) and Ryan Wolfe (played by Jonathan Togo).

In the 2007 film Transformers, the Autobot field medic Ratchet transforms into a Search and Rescue-themed Hummer H2 for his vehicle/disguise mode. Production designer Jeff Mann had a car built from scratch: "We looked at some military Hummer ambulances and some Red Cross vehicles from the '80s that had an H1 foundation which eventually evolved into a search and rescue vehicle with a crazy color, kind of chartreuse green.

Although General Motors does not provide official H2 fuel economy ratings on the petrol engine it comes with [3], most reviews have observed high single to low double-digit mileage.

Forbes notes "H2 gets a paltry 13 mpg on the highway and 10 mpg in the city" Motortrend observed 12 mpg. Car and Driver observed 10 mpg. A reviewer at about.com got 8.6 mpg. Edmunds got 9.2 mpg.Four Wheeler magazine observed 10.8 mpg in their final long term report of an H2 SUT (pickup). Their worst tank was 7.2 mpg and best tank was 15.3 mpg, pretty high for an enormous SUV. Consumer Guide observed 10.7 mpg, even with mostly highway driving. Automobile Magazine averaged less than 10 mpg. US News observed 9.5 mpg according to its trip computer.Cars.com observed 11.4 mpg according to its trip computer in mostly highway driving. Most vehicles (between 90% and 98%) get higher MPG when driving on the highway, due to reduced acceleration and braking (which burns more gasoline); hybrid cars are an exception to this rule. All in all, the Hummer H2 appears to average about 10 miles per gallon. Car and Driver notes that the 2008 H2 is more efficient than previous models and will get 11.5 mpg.

HUMMERH3

The Hummer H3 SUV is a vehicle from General Motors' Hummer division, introduced in 2006. The H3 is the smallest of the three Hummer models, and though the H3 concept car was a pickup truck, and currently introduced as a conventional SUV, with a future model close to the concept being planned to be launched in the third quarter of 2008. Its platform is based on the GMT355 which underpins the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks.

In the American market, H3 Sales have been strong with 33,140 sold, making up 74% of total Hummer sales for the year 2006. The H3 is currently produced at GM's Shreveport, Louisiana factory and also at the Port Elizabeth plant in South Africa.

The Hummer H3 SUV is a vehicle from General Motors' Hummer division, introduced in 2006. The H3 is the smallest of the three Hummer models, and though the H3 concept car was a pickup truck, and currently introduced as a conventional SUV, with a future model close to the concept being planned to be launched in the third quarter of 2008. Its platform is based on the GMT355 which underpins the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks.

In the American market, H3 Sales have been strong with 33,140 sold, making up 74% of total Hummer sales for the year 2006. The H3 is currently produced at GM's Shreveport, Louisiana factory and also at the Port Elizabeth plant in South Africa.

The H3 uses the 3.7 L (3653 cc) Atlas straight-5 engine, the same engine that is used in the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks. This 20-valve DOHC unit produces 242 hp (180 kW) at 5600 rpm and 242 ft·lbf (327 N·m) at 2800 rpm. It is available with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission that includes GM's Stabilitrak vehicle stability control. Its 111.9 in (2842 mm) wheelbase is 1.1 in (28 mm) shorter than the GMT360 SUVs. It also, has full-time four wheel drive, meaning all 4 wheels are permanently powered.

Since it is rated at less than 8500 lb (3856 kg) (GVWR), Hummer is required to provide official fuel economy ratings. Tested by many companies, the Hummer H3 with automatic transmission is targeted at 15mpg, approximately 13 in the city and 18 on the highway. The H3 is also available in manual transmission, 16mpg, with 15 in the city and 19 in the highway. While the Hummer H2 will ford 20 inches (0.5 m) of water, the H3 will handle 24 inches (0.6 m) of water (it has been tested in depths up to 31 inches).

The Hummer H3T was a concept vehicle from Hummer - mainly used as a media diversion from the Hummer H3 which was to be released in mid 2005. The Hummer H3T production model was shown at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, with sales set to begin in September 2008 as a 2009 model. The H3T is based on the H3 model, and is a crew cab pickup truck. With a 5 foot bed, the H3T lands between mid-size and full-size class. The H3T will offer the same powertrain systems as the H3 SUV.

HUMMERH3T

The Hummer H3T is a new mid-size pickup truck from the Hummer marque of American automaker General Motors. It is Hummer's first vehicle to be only sold as a pickup truck, the other being the larger Hummer H2 sold in SUV and pickup truck body styles. Originally shown as a concept car during the 2004 Los Angeles Auto Show, the H3T is set to enter production. The production vehicle will be shown at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, with sales to begin in August 2008 as a 2009 model. It is the only mid-size pickup truck to not support rear-wheel drive. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummer_H3T" Categories: Upcoming automobiles | Pickup trucks |

Manufacturer Hummer Parent company General Motors Production 2009- Assembly Shreveport, Louisiana Class Mid-size pickup truck Body style(s) 4-door pickup truck Layout Front engine, four-wheel drive Platform GM GMT745 platform Engine(s) 3.7L 242 hp I5 5.3L 300 hp V8 Transmission(s) 4-speed automatic 5-speed manual Wheelbase 134.2 in (3409 mm) Length 210.3 in (5342 mm) Width 85.1 in (2162 mm) Height 72.2 in (1834 mm) Related Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon Hummer H3 Isuzu i-Serie

HUMMERH3x

The Hummer H3 SUV is a vehicle from General Motors' Hummer division, introduced in 2006. The H3 is the smallest of the three Hummer models, and though the H3 concept car was a pickup truck, and currently introduced as a conventional SUV, with a future model close to the concept being planned to be launched in the third quarter of 2008. Its platform is based on the GMT355 which underpins the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks.

In the American market, H3 Sales have been strong with 33,140 sold, making up 74% of total Hummer sales for the year 2006. The H3 is currently produced at GM's Shreveport, Louisiana factory and also at the Port Elizabeth plant in South Africa.

In 2007 GM South Africa launched their first Hummer production facility in Port Elizabeth, this move introduced the Hummer brand to the South African market and also somewhat lightened the load of the Shreveport factory in Louisiana. The plant manufactures only the Hummer H3, and builds for the South African market as well as the Asian market and European continent.

Specifications

The H3 uses the 3.7 L (3653 cc) Atlas straight-5 engine, the same engine that is used in the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks. This 20-valve DOHC unit produces 242 hp (180 kW) at 5600 rpm and 242 ft·lbf (327 N·m) at 2800 rpm. It is available with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission that includes GM's Stabilitrak vehicle stability control. Its 111.9 in (2842 mm) wheelbase is 1.1 in (28 mm) shorter than the GMT360 SUVs. It also, has full-time four wheel drive, meaning all 4 wheels are permanently powered.

Since it is rated at less than 8500 lb (3856 kg) (GVWR), Hummer is required to provide official fuel economy ratings. Tested by many companies, the Hummer H3 with automatic transmission is targeted at 15mpg, approximately 13 in the city and 18 on the highway. The H3 is also available in manual transmission, 16mpg, with 15 in the city and 19 in the highway. While the Hummer H2 will ford 20 inches (0.5 m) of water, the H3 will handle 24 inches (0.6 m) of water (it has been tested in depths up to 31 inches).

The Hummer H3T was a concept vehicle from Hummer - mainly used as a media diversion from the Hummer H3 which was to be released in mid 2005. The Hummer H3T production model was shown at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, with sales set to begin in September 2008 as a 2009 model. The H3T is based on the H3 model, and is a crew cab pickup truck. With a 5 foot bed, the H3T lands between mid-size and full-size class. The H3T will offer the same powertrain systems as the H3 SUV.

HUMMERHX

The Hummer HX is a concept SUV revealed on 8 January 2008 and manufactured by General Motors. The vehicle is smaller than both the H2 and H3 and is powered by a 3.6 L (219.7 cu in) SIDI V6 that uses E85 FlexFuel. Contrary to rumors, it is not based on Halo 3's Warthog.