Hummer Guy

Nice! The gang at FourWheeler.com has gotten their project HUMMER H3 back from the paint shop, and the gloss is gone. This isn’t the first flat paint job I’ve seen on a HUMMER, but it is the first flat red. At the dealership level, it looks awesome, but it’s difficult to justify the price of a total repaint with what is a minor change in most people’s eyes – don’t get us wrong – we love the look.

As promised, the chrome handles and mirrors have been removed and replaced with black. The most obvious bling factors are gone; now stay tuned for what’s next from the team at FourWheeler.com. I’m wondering how long those stock wheels and tires are going to make it?

If you happen to live on the western coast of Africa, have a HUMMER, and an extra $8,000 USD (according to Google’s currency converter, anyway) – we’ve found the event for you. The Moroccan HUMMER adventure is an off-road event in May that winds through 2500 kilometers of African desert, and will test even the most serious off-road drivers. The entry fee does cover luxury hotel costs, medical and technical support, all meals and drinks, and transportation for you and your rig from Spain to Morocco. For full details, check out www.hummeradventure2008.com. If you happen to know a well-to-do European financier looking for a driver – you have our number!

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released the results of their SUV crash tests earlier today, and although HUMMER is known for their tough construction and strong safety record, the IIHS gave the HUMMER H3 a less than favorable crash rating.

The HUMMER H3 was among the majority of SUV’s that did not pass the IIHS’s strict whiplash test. “Whiplash usually isn’t life-threatening, but it can be debilitating and difficult to recover from,” says the IIHS. General Motors says they design the head restraints of all their vehicles, including the HUMMER H3, to meet a variety of driver sizes rather than focusing on a single set of metrics like those used in the IIHS test.

More surprising is the institute’s rating in a frontal crash rating for the HUMMER H3. Keep in mind, the H3 scored the highest rating of 5 stars from the Government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The IIHS rated the H3 as acceptable in front crash ratings. “Acceptable isn’t a bad rating,” says the IIHS, “It’s just not the best protection that’s available.” High forces on the dummy’s lower right leg indicated an injury would be likely, but “forces on the dummy’s head and chest were low, and the vehicle’s structure held up well.”

We hear stories all the time of HUMMER owners walking away from unbelievable crashes without a scratch. In fact, we reported on some real world results not too long ago, when an H3 was crushed between a semi trailer and a cement truck. The IIHS test may have been accurate with the lower leg injury, since the individual in this case suffered a broken leg. However that was the only injury they suffered, and considering the incredible pictures from the crash, that’s amazing.

If your family gets squashed between two huge vehicles, would you rather be in their top pick of a Nissan Murano, or a HUMMER? According to the IIHS, you may have a broken leg and whiplash in a HUMMER; according to our real-world results, it’s a safe bet you’ll also be alive.

Before any HUMMER goes into production, it has to undergo off-road testing. Last year, still in ‘disguise,’ the HUMMER H3T went through testing at Swamp Lake Trail. Here’s what Trails.com says about Swamp Lake:

“Contrary to what its name implies, Swamp Lake Trail is a high-elevation mountain route climbing to 9,600 feet at one point. Although much of the trail is heavily forested, the scenery is very impressive from high vistas along the route…Large, challenging boulders and steep, hair-raising climbs. Muddy in places. Snow possible in early summer. Modified vehicles need very high ground clearance. Recommend at least one differential locker. For experienced drivers only. Don’t go alone. Damage is possible even for the most capable vehicle. Definitely not for stock SUVs.”

Definitely not for stock SUVs, except HUMMER. The tagline ‘Like Nothing Else’ applies here, since HUMMER requires that every stock vehicle is able to tackle this type of terrain. This is some of the testing footage from HUMMER’s development drive at Swamp Lake. Enjoy!

HUMMER Happenings are dealership sponsored events that get owners out into where HUMMERs really shine: off-road. One of the most recent happenings took place in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and the crew at GMnext got some great video of it. Enjoy!

I’ve never been to the welfare office, but I’m guessing if I showed up in an H2 and tried to get some cash from Uncle Sam, I may get some suspicious looks. William Anderson of Knoxville, TN didn’t think twice about such behavior – but one suspicious onlooker called the police. As it turns out, the HUMMER H2 was stolen. Now Mr. Anderson will be living on Uncle Sam behind bars. Nice. WBIR.com has the news report video.

“No one criticizes a bulldozer for its gas mileage. That’s because it’s built to do a job,” says Mark LaNeve, GM’s VP of sales, service, and marketing in North America in a recent USA Today article. HUMMER is currently running a marketing campaign to help showcase that sentiment, with the tagline: Purpose Built. The commercials show HUMMERs as work and rescue vehicles fighting through tough terrain. “We really want to get Hummer out of the spotlight as being irresponsible and get it into an image of being purpose-built,” LaNeve says. “It’s never going to be a 60-mpg vehicle, but it’s got a role.”

The HUMMER’s distinction of being bigger and bolder worked well in the beginning, attracting high-profile trend-setters like athletes. Now that ‘going green’ and global responsibility in general has become top of mind for many – the polarizing image has become less effective. The group of HUMMER detractors is growing – but is that negative attitude just or unjust? (more…)

In a new Wired magazine article, lead HUMMER HX designer David Rojas talks about his work on the new concept vehicle. Rojas, who was fresh out of design school, was tasked with creating the HUMMER of the future – and his inspiration for the HX came from some interesting places; jets, Humvees – even alligators!

When it comes to naming cars, “everyone has an opinion,” says Mark LaNeve, GM North America’s VP of sales, service and marketing. It’s his team that is in charge of proposing names for GM’s vehicles – a job that comes with its fair share of second guessing. “When we propose a name…we have to research it – we have agencies – because I know everyone is going to puke all over it when I tell them…I’m used to taking the abuse.” For instance, LaNeve said that there were some top executives that hated the name Enclave for the Buick brand. Now that the Enclave is a hit and the vehicles are flying off dealer showrooms, no one is looking back. LaNeve explains that it’s the vehicle that makes the name, not the other way around. “The Escalade is a made up name…nobody liked that either”

I asked if he ever had any trouble coming up with the names for the HUMMER models – after all, not TOO much thought went into H1, H2, and H3 right? “It’s pretty easy,” said LaNeve. “We played around with giving them names, though…like Moab…things like that, that connote the real off-road characteristics of the vehicle.” There’s no word on whether or not HUMMER will look into changing their vehicle name strategy in the future, but for now the technique has worked pretty well. However, I predict HUMMER will be making a pretty major shift in the next few years – and we may see HUMMER use new names to differentiate their new products.

Last Thursday, lead HUMMER designer Carl Zipfel took an hour out of his day for a chat on GMnext.com. We took him up on the opportunity – check out some of the highlights below: (more…)