On January 2, 1985, the first AM General Hummer rolled of the production line. The Hummer was a standard military vehicle that went under the name HMMWV, pronounced Humvee. The large all terrain vehicle was an instant success for the Military and received lots of attention during Operation Desert Storm. In 1992, AM General began production of versions of the M998 Humvee for civilian use, which was named a Hummer. The vehicle quickly became known as the world’s most serious 4×4.
Beyond the H1 Model
In December 1999, AM General made an agreement with General Motors to jointly pursue product, marketing and distribution opportunities for HUMMER. GM became responsible for the marketing and distribution of all Hummers produced by AM General and renamed the current model to the H1. Since acquiring Hummer, General Motors has introduced two new homegrown models, the H2 and the H3. AM General continues to build the H1 for the US Military and is contracted by GM to produce the H2. The H3 is produced in a GM plant along side the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups.
The Future of Hummer
In 2006, Hummer stopped manufacturing the original Hummer. Hummer also licenses it’s name out to necklaces, laptops, hats, shoes, clothing, bicycles, among others. There are talks of a H4 model in the works. Set to debut sometime in 2008 or 2009. This model will not be as large as the prior three. The size will be more comparable to the Wrangler from Jeep.
The Popularity of Hummer
Hummer really benefited from the popularity of rappers and athletes. Rappers featured the SUV in their music videos and songs, while athletes want to be seen driving them everywhere. This saw the popularity rise from just a military vehicle to a cultural phenomenon. Now they are seen as a sign of wealth and status, and many people want to be a part of the Hummer army.
Today Hummers are still the most serious 4×4’s offered to civilians. Hummer is even helping out by giving money and vehicles to the Red Cross for disaster relief in areas that are not easily accessible. Hummer as a brand continues to grow and adapt itself to the consumer market. The car has come under fire because of environmental concerns. Those concerns say it does more harm to the environment than good. Regardless of the critics, however, the Hummer will continue to be one of the most popular SUVs out on the market.
